


Marichat May 2018

by whatarubberchicken



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Drabbles, F/M, Marichat, Marichat May, Marichat May 2018, Romance, Shenanigans, and some songs thrown in for fun
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-11
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-08 04:52:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 27,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17379926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatarubberchicken/pseuds/whatarubberchicken
Summary: My drabbles for Marichat May 2018. Out of order a bit, and not all of them made it, but I tried to make a loose storyline. Fluff, jokes, shenanigans, and some light angst. And kisses, of course. You know, Marichat stuff.





	1. Injured

**Author's Note:**

> Look at that! It's already a new year and I forgot to post this.... Sorry. Hope you enjoy it now while I work on my other stuff!

**Injured**

Chat Noir glared at his captor.

“Let me go,” he demanded.

“No.”

“ _Please_ let me go?” he tried.

“No.”

“I’ll Cataclysm my way out,” he warned.

Marinette scoffed. “You will not. That’s your favorite color and you’ve been begging me to make a scarf for you for the past two weeks! Now, stop being such a baby,” she admonished as she came closer.

“I’ll get you more. I’ll get you dozens of colors! I’ll—OW! Ow, ow, ow, ow!!!”

“Baby.”

“Am not,” he grumbled.

“Are too.”

“Am no—OW! You did that on purpose!!” he cried, trying to squirm away from her. The fact that she’d hogtied him with yarn and was currently sitting on his chest, so he couldn’t get away, was making that a bit difficult.

“It has to be disinfected, Chat,” Marinette said patiently as she dabbed at the wound on his forehead with antiseptic.

“So, how did you get this again?” she asked. He didn’t answer. From the wound, it looked like he’d hit the corner of a building, so she wasn’t really surprised when he didn’t own up to it.

Not for the first time, she wondered why their indestructible suits didn’t include helmets. Sure, they looked cool with their hair blowing in the wind, but was it really worth it if her partner kept getting hit in the head?

She’d found him on her balcony, sitting there dazed, bleeding, and unable to locate the baton still strapped to his back. She’d gotten him inside with promises of snacks and drinks, and he’d fallen down the stairs! (So much for cat-like reflexes!) Now, here he was: Hero of Paris, incapacitated by a ball of yarn.

Sighing, she tried to be gentle as she bandaged the wound and pressed some ice against it.

Chat whined. “That’s cold.”

He sounded like a pathetic kitten instead of the sharp-witted fighter she knew him to be.

“It’s supposed to be,” she said. “Now, I’m going to untie your hands, so you can hold the ice pack instead of me. Don’t you dare try to run. I _will_ catch you,” she warned. She flicked on a light to see what she was doing and happened to watch her friend’s eyes as he flinched away.

His eyes weren’t reacting right.

“Chat? Chat, how many fingers am I holding up?” she asked, holding up three fingers. He blinked at her for a moment and then turned away. “Chat Noir?”

“I see six, but I… I know that’s not right, okay?” he muttered. “I just need a minute.”

“You have a concussion. You need more than a minute,” Marinette declared as she finished untying his hands. “You’re staying here for the night.”

“I can’t.”

“You can, and you will.”

“You don’t understand. My father—”

“I do not give a _damn_ about your father, Chat Noir!” Marinette seethed, having heard enough about the man on late-night patrols. “If he’s half the parent he _should_ be, he will not want you out, _jumping buildings_ when you have a bleeding head wound!!”

Marinette stopped yelling as she took in her partner’s wide eyes.

“You’re injured,” she said, much more softly. “Please stay the night. Please. I could never forgive myself if something happened to you.”

“Okay,” he said, just as softly.

“Okay?” she repeated hopefully.

Chat nodded, then winced again. “Could you… untie my feet?” he asked. “This position is really uncomfortable.”

Marinette laughed and went to do just that.


	2. Dear Diary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marichat May 3

**Dear Diary:** My parents said they adopted a cat, but I was somehow still surprised to see Chat Noir in my living room, drinking hot chocolate.

Worse, he was curled up, with his head on my mom’s lap, enjoying her fingers running through his hair, while they both watched my father play Story Mode on Ultimate Mecha Strike III. Apparently, he and my father had already played Versus Mode so much that, after their last tiebreaker, Maman forced them to stop before they broke the couch with all their shenanigans.

Her words, not mine.

I’m also in trouble for leaving him stranded on my balcony.

I WASN’T EVEN HOME! I WAS WITH ALYA ALL AFTERNOON!! How was I supposed to know Chat would stop by for a visit tonight?! Or that Maman would happen to see him peeking in when she brought up my laundry??

Apparently, they’re giving him free reign of the house from now on, diary. I’m to keep my balcony hatch unlocked until they can get another key made.

_My_ balcony.

Okay, look, I get it; there’s no one else who would likely use an entrance like that one, so it makes sense, but still!! IT’S _MY_ BALCONY! TO _MY_ ROOM!!

I’M A TEENAGE GIRL!! HE’S A TEENAGE BOY!! DOES NO ONE SEE THE PROBLEM HERE??

My dad thinks he’s a perfect gentleman. My mom thinks he’s a cat. THEY DON’T KNOW HIM LIKE I DO!!

They don’t know about all the flirting and lame puns I have to endure as Ladybug! He’s told them it’s all in good, harmless fun! That Ladybug flirts as much as he does! And I can’t refute that without revealing myself!

IT’S SO FRUSTRATING!!

He’s still sitting down there, preening under their care while they watch a movie and—hold up, they’re calling me down.

….

GDI

FML, they’re actually trying to adopt him. They said either I marry him, or he becomes my new brother. Excuse me while I go scream into my pillow. They even asked for his real name, so they can start the process. (He refused, of course! Thank GOD!! In fact, I think he was blushing as hard as me.)

I can’t even, anymore.

* * *

 

**Dear Diary:** IT GOT WORSE.

Today, that stupid cat came by and asked for my hand in marriage, using a—no joke—ball of yarn!!

Oh yeah. The whole nine yards. Got down on one knee and declared his everlasting love for me in the sappiest tone possible. Tears. Big smiles. I think there was Shakespeare. The goof was really laying it on thick, having the time of his life, but the joke’s on him.

My parents are already planning our engagement party.

 


	3. Can I Pick, Princess?

**Can I Pick, Princess?**

It had been a stressful day, and Marinette had finally retreated to her balcony to get some artistic therapy in (i.e. she was sketching up a storm). Her current design needed hard, bold lines, which was perfect for her current mood.

So, of course, Fate dictated that she be interrupted.

“Hi, princess!” chirped a far-too-eager voice. Marinette shrieked and jumped, her sketchbook falling to the ground.

“Chat Noir! You startled me! You—”

“OMG!!” Chat squealed, his eyes going round when he saw her sketchbook. Before she could stop him, he’d scooped it up.

“Oh no….”

“Mari! Princess! My sweet, creative genius! Lady after my own heart! _Please_ tell me you plan on making these!” he begged, dancing around the balcony with his fingers tracing her designs.

“I can only afford to make one, Chat,” she sighed. He stopped.

“I will pay. I will fund this whole line,” he said, suddenly serious.

Marinette laughed. “I only have _time_ to make one right now, silly kitty. I was going to enter the best one in the new contest Gabriel Agreste is holding.”

“That explains it,” Chat said, still smiling at her sketches like they’d made his dearest wishes come true. Which they might have.

Marinette knew he was a bit of a dork when it came to video games, so she’d based her new designs around characters in a few of them. And, since Gabriel had requested the theme of the contest be based on Paris’s superheroes, she’d drawn Chat as the model.

So, now he got to see himself dressed up as his favorite heroes. Link. Mario. Master Chief. (The Minecraft one she was already nixing; it was giving her Cardboard Girl flashbacks.) She’d given him a Keyblade in one, and a Pikachu in another. And he was clearly two seconds from exploding.

“Eeeeeiiii!!” he squealed. “You gave me an Assassin’s Creed trenchcoat!!!”

Marinette giggled. “Turn the page,” she suggested.

He did so, and had to cover his mouth to stop himself from screaming again when he saw the back of the coat, done up in his colors and sporting the words “Bug Man” in large lettering.

“I want two,” he declared.

“I’ll keep it in mind for Christmas,” Marinette winked.

“Princess!” Chat Noir whined. “You can’t just _show_ me these and—”

“I didn’t _intend_ to show you anything,” Marinette reminded him, attempting to take the sketchbook back. Chat twisted away from her again, trying to keep it for just a bit longer. “I just dropped it. Now, give it back.”

“But… but… which one are you gonna make?”

“I don’t know yet.”

Chat Noir perked up. “Can I pick, princess??”

Marinette gave him a dry stare, then smirked. “I dunno, kitty. _Can_ you?”

He looked at her, then down to the sketchbook. Then back up to her.

He let out a long, loud wail.

“OH, CRUEL PRINCESS!! SADISTIC TEMPTRESS OF MY HEART!! WHY HAVE YOU BETRAYED ME LIKE THIS?? WHYYYYY??”

“Oh, knock it off,” she said, lightly smacking his shoulder. “And give it back to me so I can finish the Ultimate Mecha Strike III one.”

“YOU MADE ME INTO A MECHA?!”

“You already _are_ one, you over-dramatic pussy cat. I just modified the Cat Bot’s design to fit over your suit—WHOA, CHAT, PUT ME DOWN!!”

“SHE LOVES ME! SHE REALLY, REALLY LOVES ME!!”

 


	4. Croissant Murder

**Croissant Murder**

Marinette looked up when she heard something coming down from her balcony and smirked when he finally made it into her room. She idly rolled her chair in front of her computer and stretched her arms out over her plate of after-school snacks, claiming them as hers.

“I thought dogs were the ones who drooled, but this is hilarious,” she snickered as Chat Noir stared at the plate with his jaw dropped. “You’ve got a little something hanging from the corner of your mouth there, kitty.”

He quickly swallowed and wiped his chin, before looking up at her pleadingly.

“It’s been two months since I had something sweet,” he said, sounding serious. “I would _murder_ for a croissant. Help me, princess. Please?”

“Hmm. Chloé Bourgeois.”

He gaped at her. She shrugged.

“You offered to murder someone.”

He gave a little sigh and rubbed his temples. “The fact that I am even remotely considering this says a lot about _both_ our state-of-minds.”

“It’s the end of Fashion Week,” she reminded him.

“I’m still not killing Chloé.”

“You’re right. Too high-profile. Lila Rossi.”

“Princess….”

“Fine. Gabriel Agreste.”

Chat laughed. “Don’t tempt me. Don’t you dare tempt me.”

“I’m serious. You didn’t see how exhausted his son was this week,” Marinette said, scowling. “I love fashion, but somebody needs to tell that man to take it down a notch. Or knock some common sense into him, the hard way.”

She missed the adoring look Chat gave her as she seethed in fury on her friend’s behalf.

“At least Fashion Week is finally over,” he said, flopping down on her chaise. He looked over at her. “Are you really gonna make me murder someone for a snack?”

“I’ll bake you a whole pie if you take out Ms. Mendeleiev,” Marinette muttered, glaring down at her physics homework (‘it’s the weekend! You have twice as much time, so you should get twice as much work done!’). She tossed Chat a croissant. He immediately scarfed it down and sighed in bliss.

“That’s quite the hit list, princess,” he grinned. “Should I be worried? Are you secretly an evil villain?”

“Yes. Muahahahaha!” Marinette teased, lowering her voice and attempting to look scary. “Fear me! Doom and gloom and bad b-movie lines! Muahahaha!” She started coughing on that last evil laugh, and looked up to see Chat shaking with laughter.

“I take it that’s a no, huh? I’m just not scary enough?” she mock-pouted.

“I think you’ve got the wrong role,” Chat said. “Female evil villains are more like… ‘Ku ku ku!’” He put his hand against his mouth primly and imitated a high cackle.

Both he and Marinette were silent for a moment.

“I did that a little too well, didn’t I.”

Marinette burst out laughing. “Behold, Chat Noir, the sexy Evil Mistress!” she said.

“Darn right,” he agreed, getting up and strutting his stuff around her room. “You know why they call it a catwalk, princess?” he asked, idly twirling his tail and popping a hip.

“Because I. Own. It.” He tossed his hair dramatically.

Marinette laughed harder and applauded. “Bravo! Bravo! Here, let me stuff these in your belt,” she said, grabbing a couple croissants.

Chat looked offended. “When did I go from sexy Evil Mistress to stripper?”

Marinette shrugged. “Well, if the black leather cat-suit fits….”

He glared at her. “I am _offended_ ,” he said, “and I’m going to take these cookies and go be alone with them in the corner now.”

“Hey!” Marinette exclaimed, as he grabbed her whole plate of treats. She shook her head at his antics. “You’d be more believable if you’d stop shaking your hips when you’re walking away from me!”

“Just admit it, princess!” Chat called over his shoulder. “You hate to see me go,” he looked back at her and winked, “but you _love_ to watch me leave.”

The yarn ball threw itself at his head. Really.

 


	5. Video

**Video**

Alya was ecstatic, of course. Within an hour of the video going viral, she’d already coined the term “Marichat” as their celebrity couple name.

Adrien kept blushing for some reason, whenever somebody brought the video up. But he laughed as loud as anybody when they all started joking about it.

Nino was strangely quiet about the matter, occasionally shooting his best friend worried glances.

Chloe, of course, was convinced it was a fake. “It has to be Marinette trying to gain attention by associating herself with a superhero! Why, when _my_ best friend Ladybug finds out about all this, she’ll give that upstart baker girl exactly what she deserves!!”

Marinette, for her part, simply wanted to hide in the girls’ bathroom for the rest of forever. Sadly, her bestie wouldn’t let her.

“M, come on! You’ve gotta come out! Class is about to start!”

“Fine….”

“Oh, and I want an interview about what exactly happened, girl!”

“Alya….”

“No, don’t you go back in that stall, _Princess_ Marinette!”

* * *

 

It wasn’t until she locked herself in her room that she managed to get a moment’s peace, and she promptly collapsed on her chaise lounge.

“Oh, it’s not so bad, Marinette,” Tikki crooned. Then the kwami gave a sudden gasp and disappeared.

Marinette groaned as she heard a thump above her and her hatch opened. She listened to the sounds of Chat coming into her room, but the fact that he hadn’t immediately greeted her in his usual cheerful way said a lot. She finally turned her head to see him.

He was just standing there, watching her, and twiddling his thumbs, looking like a kicked kitten.

“Sooo,” he began, biting his lip, “about earlier….”

“I haven’t gone on social media in over an hour,” Marinette grumbled, “because the last time I did, I got hundreds of messages saying I wasn’t good enough for you, that you belonged to Ladybug, blah de blah de blah. Two people even called me a furry.”

Chat covered his laugh with a very-unbelievable cough.

“On the upside,” she continued, rolling over to lay on her back, “my class wouldn’t talk about anything else today, so I was saved from getting roasted for falling on top of Adrien _again_ , my best friend is on Cloud 9, my parents are somehow selling more wedding cakes than ever, I’m told our engagement party is going to be _fabulous_ , and I managed to piss Chloe off with little-to-no effort. So, yay.”

“Little-to-no-effort?” Chat laughed.

“You were the one doing all the running,” Marinette pointed out.

“We were being chased by an akuma! What was I supposed to do??”

“Apparently pick me up and carry me, princess-style, while half of Paris recorded it on their phones,” she sighed.

“Yeah, and why was _Alya’s_ the one that went viral again?” he asked, grinning at her and whistling innocently.

Marinette scowled. “Because she was the one who recorded that hand kiss you gave me once you put me down, telling me to ‘stay safe, princess!’ right before the akuma shot you again.”

Chat laughed. “To be honest, I think it was more the fact that, when I got hit, _you_ picked _me_ up to go hide me from the akuma until I recovered!”

“That... might’ve been part of it,” she acknowledged, throwing an arm over her eyes to hide from the world.

 


	6. Catnip

**Catnip**

Marinette woke to a large, heavy body curling against her back. Her first instinct was, of course, to scream, but by the time she’d drawn in a breath for it, she knew exactly who was in bed with her. She was pretty sure there was only one person in the world who was able to purr, after all.

Though, the question of _why_ he was in her bed….

“Chat Noir,” she said, breathing deeply to keep herself calm, “why are you in my bedroom after midnight?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” came the cheerful reply. He sounded far too awake for his own good.

“Did you try a glass of warm milk?” she grumbled.

“Can’t. I’m lactose intolerant.”

“You are not,” Marinette huffed. “You’ve eaten a whole batch of my cream cheese scones before!”

“That was for the greater good,” Chat said solemnly.

“What? How?”

“You smell good, princess,” he said, nosing her hair and breathing deeply, completely ignoring her questions.

“Thanks,” she said, feeling oddly-flattered. “I just took a shower.”

“Mmm. Warm, cuddly princess,” Chat murmured into her hair. Marinette felt herself blush.

“Well, this warm, cuddly princess needs her beauty sleep…,” she hinted. He just grumbled and pulled her tighter against himself. She sighed and reached over to turn on her bedside lamp.

“Chat, I—did you hit your head again??” she exclaimed, turning in his arms and finally looking at the cat-themed superhero. His pupils were blown wide, despite the new light source in the room. He grinned at her broadly and shook his head.

“Nope! But the Eiffel Tower did wave at me on my way over.”

Marinette stared at him.

“I'm sorry, what?”

He nodded, completely serious. “Oh yes, it’s very friendly.”

She stared some more, speechless.

“Not Notre Dame, though. The gargoyles are mean.” Chat hissed in the general direction of the church.

Marinette wasn’t quite sure what to do with this information. Had he been hit by an akuma, maybe? Hawkmoth tended to stay within working hours, but they’d had late-night monsters before…. Chat suddenly climbed into her lap, as best he could, laying his head on her knee.

“I saw Jesus in a croissant.”

“WHAT?” she couldn’t help her own squawk. _What the actual—??_

“Yes. It was flying. Do you think all croissants fly, or just holy ones?” He turned to look up at her. If it wasn’t for his completely serious expression, she’d think he was having a laugh. As it was….

“I think I’m not giving you croissants for awhile,” she muttered.

“You _godless heathen._ ”

He stared at her, wide-eyed, looking shocked and affronted. Marinette rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on.

“Chat,” she said, “what are you on and why aren’t you sharing?”

“Oh! It’s catnip!” Chat said, his eager, happy face back to normal. He pulled out a little bag of what was obviously dried leaves. “But I don’t think it’ll work for you, princess,” he added, looking sad. He pondered the bag. “Maybe if you wear kitty ears…. HOLY CRAP, I HAVE A TAIL!” He jumped away from his own appendage, seemingly entranced when it followed him. “PRINCESS, HAVE YOU SEEN THIS THING?”

“Oh. My. God. How is this my life?” she groaned. “Chat, how much of that did you eat?”

“None, yet,” he said, shrugging. “I just smelled it. It smells _really_ good. And it makes me feel good. You think I should eat it??”

“NO!” Marinette said quickly, snatching the bag away from him. “Just… don’t move for a few minutes. I’m going to Google how long this’ll take to get out of your system.”

“I’ll be silent and still,” Chat promised, crouching down on her bed. “Like a ninja. In the night. I _am_ the night. I am… Catman. Duh na nuh….”

“I should be recording this,” Marinette muttered.

“I probably shouldn’t tell you about my father in the asparagus.”

She froze and blinked up at him. He stared back.

“I ate him.”

Marinette covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. “Did you apologize afterwards?” she finally asked.

“Of course not,” he said, looking at her like she was insane. “I chewed extra hard too.”

“Well, at least we know you haven’t gone completely crazy,” she grinned, starting up her computer.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on my own experiences with a cat and catnip. If he just smelled it, he went crazy and playful, but if he ate it, it was naptime. So, all Mari had to do was get Chat to eat some....


	7. Chat Noir Merch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally prompt 25.

**Chat Noir Merch**

“Princess! Princess! Look at what I found!!” Chat exclaimed, bouncing down to her room, his arms full of bags.

Marinette sighed. “Why do you keep calling me that, Chat?” she asked. “I’m not a princess; my family isn’t even rich! I’m just a baker’s daughter!”

You. Are. _Not_!” Chat said, sounding scandalized. “You are _the best_ baker’s daughter, which makes you Baking Royalty here in Paris. Nay, all of France!” he declared, making grand sweeping motions.

Marinette shook her head, unable to stop smiling at his antics.

“And,” he added, putting his bags down and starting to dig through them. “You live at the top of a tower, complete with balcony. Therefore: princess.”

_Well, who could argue with **that** logic?_

“And!” he added again, holding up a finger before she could stop him, “We met when an evil villain fell in love with you and I had to save you from his evil clutches.”

_Uh huh. Like she hadn’t pretty much saved herself that night…._ Marinette rolled her eyes.

“And look at this! Now you can wear your gallant knight’s colors!” he said proudly, taking a shirt out of the bag.

She burst out laughing. It was a black, oversized shirt with neon-green letters that proudly proclaimed: LITTER-ALLY PURR-FECT. ...And he had more. Bags of them. Some even had his picture on them, while they said things like: HISS-TERICAL CAT-TITUDE and FELINE FINE.

“Oh my God, Chat,” Marinette said, shaking with laughter. “I _know_ you didn’t raid that little boot-legger’s stand who started selling superhero merchandise!!”

“I bought one of everything that was good!” he said, nodding eagerly while sporting some cat-themed sunglasses. “Look! Look! Now I have _six_ ears!!” He tapped his human ears, the cat ears on his head, and then the two tiny points on the sunglasses shaped like cat ears.

Marinette giggled. Then she finally got up. She _had_ to see what else was in those bags. Each new item had her laughing. T-shirts, plushies, action figures— Her eyes fell on the biggest bag and she reached for it.

“A body pillow? Really, Chat?” she said, raising an eyebrow at Ladybug’s face spread all over said pillow.

He quickly snatched it away from her. “It’s for cuddling!” he insisted, shoving it back in the bag and refusing to look at her. “I don’t know what _your_ lecherous teenage mind is thinking about!”

Marinette giggled. She was _so_ teasing him for that later! But she was already digging for more.

“Boxers!” she exclaimed, holding them away from herself with two fingers. Chat quickly snatched them, a flush spreading over his face when he realized she’d already seen the Ladybug spots all over them.

He bit his lip and tried to laugh it off. “I got some for you too!” he said hopefully, holding up another pair, this time with Chat Noir paws on it.

She couldn’t breathe anymore, she was laughing so hard. “I’m not—wearing those!” she wheezed.

“You sure? They’re _really soft!”_ he teased, pushing the shorts closer and closer to her face.

“Get it away!” she howled, grabbing a smaller pillow from the bags and whacking him upside the head with it. Belatedly, she realized it was a Chat Noir-themed pillow, so she had essentially just—

“Did you just hit me with my own face?!”

“Maybe,” she said in a small voice, curling into a defensive position and giving him a challenging grin. He grinned back and dug around in another bag, producing his own little pillow, this time with Ladybug’s face on it.

“You may disrespect _me_ ,” he declared. “But not even _you_ can take on… _MY LADY!_ HYAH!!!” He sprang at her, attacking her with the pillow. She wheezed with laughter, trying to defend herself with the tiny Chat Noir pillow, and gave as good as she got.

Suddenly, both pillows exploded into a cloud of feathers. She and Chat stared dumbly at each other for a moment.

“Geez, what cheap pieces of—ACHOO!!” Chat said, raising his hand to his face in an effort not to breathe the feathers. Too late, though. His eyes were already watering. “ACHOO!! ACHOO!!” He backed away, but his sneezing was obviously only getting worse.

“Get downstairs,” Marinette ordered, taking control of the situation as usual. “Ask my mom for some antihistamines or something, and stay down there until I say it’s clear.”

“But, princess—”

“Go! I’ll clean this up!”

Chat opened his mouth to argue, but was seized by another sneezing fit. Shooting her a look of regret, he pulled up the trapdoor and fled downstairs.

She shook her head as she cleaned up the mess of feathers _(ugh, these were so cheap and—eew, they stuck everywhere!! What the heck? Were they super old or something?)._ She was going to have to take these pillows and re-stuff them with cotton fluff or poly-fil. That stupid vendor had probably prattled on about how they were stuffed with high-quality down, and Chat hadn’t even thought twice.

_Her silly cat,_ she thought fondly, gathering up the excessive merchandise. It hadn’t escaped her notice; he had twice as much Ladybug stuff as his own. _Ah, well. Who was **she** to judge somebody for having a crush? _She thought, glancing at her photos of Adrien. An idea struck her, and she finished cleaning up with a light heart.

Chat was nursing a cup of tea and her mom was just leaving when Marinette finally came downstairs.

“Hello, dear,” Sabine waved. “I need to go check on your father downstairs. You two don’t have too much fun now!” Marinette shook her head at her mother and turned back to Chat.

“I am so sorry!” he said immediately, before she could even open her mouth. Marinette giggled.

“It’s fine, Chat Noir,” she assured him. “But no more going to cheap tourist vendors, ok? If you wanted Chat Noir and Ladybug dolls, I could’ve made you some myself.”

“You mean, like the ones Puppeteer got a hold of?” he asked slowly.

Marinette blinked. “Yeah. Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories—”

“No!” he said quickly, eyes wide. “I would love a pair of those dolls! Umm… if it’s not too much trouble…?”

“Not at all. And _I’ll_ remember your feather allergy and stuff them with something else,” she teased.

He laughed awkwardly. Then frowned. “Wait. How did you know I had a feather allergy?”

Marinette felt the color drain from her face. “Uhhh—the Ladyblog! That Alya! She posts everything!” she said, trying to laugh it off.

“Right….”

Chat still looked thoughtful, so she decided to distract him.

“However, I do require payment for my services!” she said. He looked at her, surprised.

“Yeah, of course—”

“You have to take a picture with me!”

“Huh?” Now the superhero looked dumbfounded.

“For my wall,” she explained. “I have pictures of all my friends on my wall, so I need a picture with you.”

“Really?!”

_Was it just her, or were his eyes going misty?_

“Yeah. C’mon, let’s take it on my balcony, so we can get a backdrop of Paris at night!” she said, grabbing his hand.

Marinette swore she heard him sniffle before he eagerly followed her upstairs. She had no idea what had him so upset, so she decided to try to lighten the mood by teasing him some more while they were passing through her bedroom.

“You know,” she drawled, reaching for the bag with the Ladybug body pillow, “you could take a picture with this, and it’ll be just like—”

“Knock it off!” he pouted, a smile tugging on his lips. He turned away from her in a huff, and caught sight of her walls. She felt a chill go through her when he turned back towards her. His grin was positively _wicked_. “Pictures of all your _friends_ , huh?” he said slowly.

_Uh oh. She could see where this was going._

“Well, this Adrien Agreste must be a _really good friend_ ,” Chat teased, waggling his eyebrows at her.

“Stop it!” she said, that particular phrase reminding her of Adrien’s continued obliviousness. _Of course, that was partially her fault, for not being able to talk to him…._

“Ok, truce,” she said. “You don’t tease me about my crush and I won’t tease you about yours. Deal?”

Chat blinked at her in shock. “Crush?!” he repeated.

“Yes, kitty. Crush. The one you confessed to me awhile ago, remember? The giant monster ice cream man?” she said, rolling her eyes. “Well, you: Ladybug. Me: Adrien.”

His eyes were now as round as saucers.

“Oh. _OH_ ,” he said, as the concept finally seemed to penetrate his head. He stared at her in disbelief. “But you—”

“And you can’t tell anyone!” she demanded. “Swear to it. Both of us! We’ll keep this secret ‘til the end!” She stuck out her hand. Still staring at her in a daze, he shook it, sealing their bargain.

“Now, let’s go take this picture!” Marinette said, heading up to the balcony. Hopefully, if she had a few pictures of him on her walls, Chat Noir wouldn’t tease her too much about Adrien.

She didn’t notice his thoughtful gaze after her.


	8. A Day Out With Chat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally prompt 21

**A Day Out With Chat**

Marinette knew, from the very moment Alec called her name—no, more like as soon as she entered the contest—that Chat Noir would have the biggest grin on his face when he saw her.

Sure enough, there he stood in front of his statue in the park, surrounded by reporters and cameras, and holding a rose in his Cheshire-Cat smile. She must’ve made a face, because he instantly pulled it out of his mouth and, to the delight of the reporters standing by, swooped down on one knee to offer it to her. Cameras flashed.

Ordinarily, she’d roll her eyes at him and make a show of wiping it off, but right now the world was watching, so she allowed herself to blush and accept it, stammering thanks.

“And here we have our _winner_!” Alec was cheering excitedly to the cameras around them. “Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng, who won our contest to spend a day with local superhero Chat Noir by donating to the local animal shelter!! I guess you’re a big cat lover, eh, Marinette?” Alec said, suggestively waggling his eyebrows at her. Chat gave her the same look.

“Well, yes,” Marinette said, flustered, waving to the camera. “We can’t have pets where I live, so I like to help out whenever I can, and this contest was a great opportunity!”

“I’ll say!” Alec beamed at her, “it’s said that you had multiple entries! How many times did you enter, Marinette?”

“Oh, uh…”

“Twenty-one,” Chat finished for her, throwing an arm over her shoulders, nodding solemnly but still grinning.

“I didn’t know each cat toy was its own entry! That’s just the number it came out to when I finished with all my spare yarn!” Marinette protested. “And some people entered just as many times!”

It was true. Just this morning, Chloe had had workers hauling 50 bags of cat and dog food into the shelter for her entries. Marinette was honestly surprised the blonde hadn’t won. She suspected Mayor Bourgeois had been about to name Chloe the winner no matter what name was on the raffle slip, but Alec had snatched it out of his hand before he could, and had proudly shouted her name to the cameras. She wasn’t looking forward to facing Chloe tomorrow.

She was also going to have to remember to be ready for the Bourgeois’s tricks when it came time for Ladybug to spend a day with a civilian next month for her own charity at the Children’s Hospital.

But for now….

“And what are you planning to do with your very own superhero now that you have him?” Alec asked, still looking like he was hoping for a bigger scoop than he was getting.

“Oh, um, I thought we’d go for a walk in the park and maybe get something to drink,” Marinette said, gesturing to the local vendors in the area. Honestly, she hadn’t really thought about it too much, so certain she wouldn’t win. But, the thought of doing something with Chat outside her room had its appeal, she supposed. Thus far, they’d had to limit their activities to what they could do inside her room, downstairs with her parents, or out on her balcony.

“Whatever you say, my _purr_ incess,” Chat said, bowing to her and offering her his arm, blatantly turning his back on Alec and the cameras. She giggled as he led her to a drink line. “Sorry about all the press,” he whispered. “We just have to get a few photos for the articles and then we can ditch ‘em.”

“It’s okay,” she replied, “I should’ve known better, entering a public contest like this, that I wouldn’t _actually_ get you all to myself for the day.”

“Well, I am the cat’s meow,” he laughed as they placed their orders. He leaned closer to her. “But I’ll let you make it up to me later tonight,” he promised. Marinette flushed.

“Chat Noir! Marinette!” Another reporter called as they got their drinks. Marinette bit her lip when she saw Nadja coming towards them with excitement written all over her face. She knew Nadja and Alec were having a competition to see who could get the juiciest story right now, and that spelled nothing but trouble for her.

“Hi, Nadja,” she said, smiling in a friendly way, “Chat Noir and I already gave Alec our interviews and I’d really like to start my prize day with Chat. Did you need something?”

“Marinette, I have several sources saying that you are Adrien Agreste’s secret girlfriend! And we have numerous images of you two dating last month!” Nadja proclaimed happily, showing them a sample picture.

Marinette groaned as the picture of her in her pajamas, a towel and some swim goggles was shoved in her face. Beside her, Chat Noir took a nice, long drink to keep himself from laughing.

“How do you think Adrien will react to your date with a superhero?!” Nadja asked excitedly. Marinette sternly resisted the urge to elbow the cat behind her who was shaking in silent laughter.

“I think he’ll happily tell you that I’m just a good friend,” she deadpanned.

Behind her, Chat spewed out his drink.

“Are you all right?” Marinette asked. Chat nodded, waving her off.

“Sorry, wrong tube,” he coughed out. They both waved as Nadja left before Alec could find her.

Chat cleared his throat.

“Yeah... I may have deserved that,” he muttered under his breath.

“What?”

“Nothing!”

 


	9. Curse of the Cat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The prompt for this one was 23: Actual cat Chat Noir. But I couldn't think of anything but the typical "being hit by an akuma," so I decided to explore Chat's cat-like tendencies instead. He he. Well, one in particular that not a lot of people write about...

**The Curse of the Cat**

Marinette stared at the cat-themed superhero currently crouched on her bedroom floor. When she thought of him having cat-like tendencies, she thought of his night vision, or his purr, or his flickering tail. She thought of him decimating her yarn collection, or the way he seemed to be able to nap in the most awkward positions possible.

Not this.

Chat Noir wheezed again, his whole body tensing as he started hacking once more. So far, nothing had actually come up, but not from his body’s lack of trying.

“Is there anything I do to help?” Marinette asked. Chat shook his head before another round of dry-heaving took him. She’d already gotten him a bucket, and had paper towels and cleaning supplies on hand in case anything did come up.

“Do you actually lick yourself?” she couldn’t help asking. Chat shot her a glare before trying to breathe through the next round.

“Of course not,” he managed to rasp out, breathing through his nose. He gave a couple coughs. “But my kwami does.” Cough, cough. “And I—” Cough, cough. “—think he saves it all—” Cough, cough. “—for when I’m in the suit.” Wheeze. “Or he leaves it in my shoe.”

His next hacking round sounded a bit wetter than the rest and Chat finally sat back, taking deep breaths.

“Dammit, Plagg. That was awful.”

“Are you okay?” Marinette approaching slowly, in case he was still feeling bad. At least he’d managed to keep it in the wastebasket.

“Fine, fine,” Chat said, waving to her carelessly. “I just need to curl up on your chaise for a moment and catch my breath. Sorry you had to see that.” He climbed up onto said chaise lounge and flopped down on it, exhausted.

“It’s okay,” she said, frowning, “I’m more worried about you.”

“I’m good. Feeling better already.”

“You said your kwami does this? Regularly?? What if it happens to you in the middle of a battle?!”

“Huh, I never thought about that,” Chat said, giving a little laugh. “I think the adrenaline keeps it down or something. Maybe Plagg has some sense of self-preservation. It could be funny, though! Hey, Hawkmoth, I’ve got a little present for you—bleeeeh!!” He mimicked throwing up and snickered a little at the thought.

Marinette shook her head, unable to keep the smile off her face.

“You would.”

“You bet I would,” Chat nodded. “I just need the perfect pun to go with it….”

“Ugh, just watch. I bet the final battle is just gonna be a pun war between you and him, with Ladybug facepalming in the background, asking if she can go home yet.”

Chat laughed. “It’s entirely possible, Princess,” he grinned, reaching out and pulling her closer until she was sitting next to where he lay. “But what makes you think Hawk-man can keep up with _me_??”

“Have you heard some of those names he gives his villains?” she asked, carding her fingers through his hair. “The guy obviously loves puns as much as you do.”

“Mmm, a worthy opponent,” Chat purred, stroking an invisible beard.

“I don’t even want to know what you’re planning.”


	10. Hanahaki Disease

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Prompt 24

**Hanahaki Disease**

“Hey, princess,” Chat said, lounging on her chair while she watered her plants, “have you ever heard of Hanahaki disease?”

“Yes,” Marinette said shortly. “Though I can’t say I like the idea.”

“Really?” Chat said, sitting up a bit straighter. “Why not? You love flowers!”

“Doesn’t mean I want to cough them up, Chat,” Marinette said wryly.

Chat pouted. “I thought it sounded romantic.”

She giggled as she continued to water her flowers, checking the soil. “ _Flowers_ are romantic, kitty. Pain is not.”

Chat grinned at her. “Can be,” he said, winking.

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Pain can be _sexy_ , if you’re into that kind of thing. But dying a slow, painful death by suffocation is not the same thing.”

He shrugged. “Point made,” he acknowledged, leaning back on her lounger again. “Of course, the other solution is to just _tell_ the one you love….”

“Then I’d be telling him in order to save myself. Not because I want to be with him. Kinda defeats the purpose, don’t you think?”

“Wow, you really hate Hanahaki disease, don’t you?”

Marinette put down her watering can.

“Flowers are supposed to be beautiful,” she said softly, turning towards him as she thought of the best way to explain this, “bringing joy and color to the world. So is love. Even unrequited love can be beautiful in its own way. But that… _disease_ takes those two things and twists them into something that hurts people.

“It’s like Hawkmoth with his butterflies.” She gave Chat a sad smile. “I used to love butterflies. Now I panic whenever I see one. It’s just… not right.”

“I know how you feel,” he muttered, thinking of his own panic attacks whenever he spotted a butterfly, even if it wasn’t black.

He looked up to see Marinette frowning down at her flowers, instead of smiling softly like she usually did. _Oh no! He hadn’t meant to make his princess feel bad!! And he… well, he knew exactly who she was thinking about now…._ His own heart gave a twinge at the thought. _Damn it._ He stood up and walked over to where she’d been watering her flowers by the rail, gently touching one of the blossoms.

“But, if you got the surgery, you wouldn’t have to deal with those unwanted emotions anymore,” Chat said delicately, “wouldn’t that make you feel better?”

Marinette shook her head. “I don’t want to get rid of the feelings I have for Adrien. They’re a part of me, no matter how painful they might be. I love being in love with him. He makes me happy, even if he’s not mine. Besides,” she smiled up at him sadly, “those feelings have helped me grow, and learn about love in their own way. Who’s to say I wouldn’t keep making the same mistakes, if I kept losing those emotions?” She shook her head.

“It’s love, Chat. I don’t think we’re supposed to get it right the first time.”

He swept her up into a hug, pulling her close and tucking her under his chin. She laughed and returned it, reveling in how safe and warm she felt in his embrace.

“I just… wish I could make it stop hurting for a while, ya know?” he mumbled.

She sighed and squeezed him back. “Me too.”

They stayed like that for a while, taking strength from each other, while regretfully wishing they could reveal themselves… just to give the other closure. No such relief was in their immediate future, though. They still had a maniac on the loose.

Then Marinette thought of something.

“You weren’t thinking of putting a flower in your mouth to ‘cough up’ the next time you saw Ladybug, were you?” she asked suspiciously.

Chat laughed nervously, pulling away. “It was supposed to be a joke,” he admitted, “but after talking to you… yeah, it would’ve been in bad taste.”

“I’ll say,” Marinette muttered, unamused.

“No, I’m serious. Roses taste awful.”

“Oh my God, Chat.”


	11. Doodling

**Doodling**

“Hey, Mari!”

“EEK!!” Marinette quickly spun around and tried to use her body to cover up her sketchbook.

No luck.

“Are you… doodling Chat Noir pictures??” Chat’s whole face lit up with unholy glee.

“NO!” Marinette said quickly, making sure the sketchbook was out of sight. “No, of course not!”

He grinned at her. “Didn’t we already play this game?” he teased, flexing his claws. “You know I’m gonna get that book. What is it? More superhero costumes??” he added hopefully.

“It’s nothing like that!” she insisted, backing up as he advanced on her. “Why don’t we just go down to my room and I’ll get us some snacks and you can relax and tell me about your day, okay?”

“Okay,” Chat agreed, “that sounds like fun—OMG, WHAT IS THAT??” he cried, pointing behind her.

Marinette looked.

He instantly snatched her sketchbook.

“Oh, for the love of—”

“The oldest trick in the book!” he exclaimed gleefully, flipping the sketchbook open. “And you fell for it! You fell—” His voice died as soon as he saw her drawings.

It felt like someone had sucker-punched him.

Chat stared at the tiny figures silently, drinking them in. Even without his photographic memory, _these_ would’ve burned themselves into his retina.

“Chat, give it back,” Marinette said, sounding irritated. She grabbed the book, but Chat held on.

“No-no-no-no,” he pleaded, trying to be careful not to rip the page, “please, let me see these! Please, princess!”

Marinette huffed and let go. “You’d better not tease me about them,” she muttered, blushing.

Chat shot her an amused glance before going back to the pictures.

“You named them,” he said in wonder, delicately tracing the words with his claws.

“Well, of course,” she said, shrugging. “I don’t know any girls my age who haven’t at least _thought_ about what they’d name their kids.”

“Just two boys, then?” he asked, unable to keep the smile off his face. Even if she hadn’t given them his last name, the blond hair on one and the green eyes on the other made it easy to tell who the father was supposed to be.

_Louis and Hugo,_ he thought. _Good, solid, French names._ He approved.

“The girl is on the next page,” Marinette said quietly.

He beamed at her and turned the page. _Three. She wanted three kids! That sounded… perfect! He’d always told himself he would never have just one. It was too lonely. And three? He couldn’t—_

_OH._

Tears filled his eyes at the sight of the little blonde girl on the page. And the name that sat beside her, inscribed in beautiful calligraphy.

“Emma?” he choked out.

“Adrien’s mom’s name was Emilie,” Marinette said softly. “He always looks happy when he talks about her, and I liked that name anyway, so….” She shrugged.

_I will not de-transform and kiss her senseless._

_I will not de-transform and kiss her senseless._

Chat closed his eyes and held himself still as he repeated that mantra over and over again. Once he was sure he wouldn’t attack Marinette as soon as he saw her, he took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

“Are you okay?” she asked, looking at him strangely.

“Tell me more,” he begged. “Tell me everything you have planned.”

She laughed at him a bit, but agreed, telling him details of the future she wanted: a house, a dream job, how she planned to juggle three kids during fashion week, etc. Chat felt a thrill go through him every time she had to pause and say that she’d need to check with Adrien on the details of such-and-such (her plan was entirely contingent on what Adrien wanted to do and was flexible enough to allow for a great number of things).

Chat couldn’t get the smile off his face if he wanted to. _A plan. A schedule, just like he was used to, except he got a say! Marinette was willing to listen to what he wanted and change accordingly. In fact, she **expected** him to have some different ideas._

He sat himself down and looked back at the sketchbook in an effort to _not_ pull her into his arms and kiss her seven ways to Sunday.

_Down, boy,_ he reminded himself sternly. _You have years before any of this comes to pass. Patience, Agreste._

“Any pets?” he asked, trying to make conversation to pull his mind out of the gutter.

“A hamster,” she replied immediately. “Maybe a dog.”

He pouted. “No cats?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure we’ll get enough of _you_ around the house,” she teased, flicking his nose. “And if their sense of humor is anything like Adrien’s, you’ll be their favorite uncle.”

Chat chuckled evilly. _Oh, she had no idea._

“I am going to spoil them _rotten_ ,” he promised, unable to help himself as he pulled her down into his lap.

“No doubt,” Marinette giggled, reaching over and flipping the page again. Chat took one look and squealed in delight.

“You gave them kitty headbands!” he cried, hugging her tightly. “So that’s what you were working on!! OMG, THEY’RE SO CUTE!!”

 


	12. Ridiculous Romantic Gestures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lost Episode Number 2 (i.e. I didn't write it until now...) Prompt 15

**Ridiculous Romantic Gestures**

Marinette flopped down on her chaise, face first. The cushion did a lot to muffle her exasperated screams.

_WHY was she such a mess when it came to Adrien Dupain-Cheng??_

_Wait. No. Strike that thought, girl! His last name is **Agreste**! And one day, you are going to marry him and become Mrs. Agreste and be so very happy, forever by his side, as Gabriel Agreste’s daughter-in-law and you’ll have three kids and a hamster—_

_But first, you have to be able to **speak** to him._

“Tikki,” she moaned. “Tell me that didn’t just happen!”

“Well—” Tikki began, but she was cut off by a sudden rapping on Marinette’s hatch. The kwami quickly disappeared.

Marinette just groaned again, and slowly dragged herself up to the hatch to greet him. One look at his cheerful face had her rethinking even _that_.

“Chat,” she grumbled. “I’m not really in the mood for company right now.”

“Yeah, I know,” he said, laughing and rubbing the back of his neck. “I kinda saw the whole thing.”

“You _saw_ that?!”

“I was um… running by at the time, and well… yeah,” he gave her a guilty look. “Sooo… when I told you to sweep Lover Boy off his feet with some extravagant declaration of love… I didn’t _actually_ expect you to do it.”

She glared at him.

“I mean, you _kinda_ did it—I don’t think you actually got any words out before you turned and ran—but hey! Good job on getting Nino to back you up with some mood music,” he said, giving her a thumbs up.

She continued to glare at him, slowly sinking back down into her room and closing the hatch door after her.

“Ok, ok, that came out wrong!” he protested, still on her balcony. “Princess, wait! I brought ice cream!!”

_Oh?_

That perked her up, and she swung the hatch door open again.

Right into Chat Noir’s nose.

“OW!!”

“Oh my God, Chat, I’m so sorry!” she cried, appalled at her own klutziness. “I didn’t mean to, I swear—!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” he assured her. “I get bopped harder than that on a regular basis these days. And I think I deserved that one. Sorry.”

“No, it’s not you,” she said, covering her face with her hands. “I’m just a mess right now… c’mon down.”

He followed her into her room, producing, as promised, a large tub of ice cream. Marinette smiled at her friend and went to go get some spoons. But not before she heard:

“And you, sir, are an idiot.”

She looked over to see Chat shooting a pair of finger guns at Adrien’s portrait.

“You leave him alone,” she called over to him. He jumped, looking back at her with wild eyes that told her he hadn’t expected to be overheard. She sighed and continued downstairs. “It’s not his fault I’m a walking disaster.”

True to form, she tripped the rest of the way down the stairs.

“Princess!!” Chat’s worried face appeared at the top of the stairs. “Are you okay?!”

“Nope,” Marinette said, not even bothering to get up from where she’d landed. “I’ve fallen and I don’t wanna get up. Think I’ll just die here. Say some nice words at my funeral, okay?”

He snorted in laughter. “Now, none of that,” he chided, jumping down beside her. “You’ve gotta at least give Adrien the chance to turn you down before you give up on him!”

“I just did!” she exclaimed, letting him help her up.

He tsked and shook his finger at her. “You didn’t even get one word out, Marinette. And really, a flash mob?”

Marinette groaned and let her head fall on his shoulder. He was right.

“I should’ve known it was a bad idea when practically the whole class agreed to it. I just thought, if I can’t _say_ the words, maybe I could _sing_ them, cause then they wouldn’t be mine and I’d just be singing along, ya know?”

“Still,” Chat said thoughtfully. “I would’ve gone with Jagged Stone’s ‘Love Me Tender’ over Clara Nightingale’s ‘You Got Me Singing.’”

“Ugh, I didn’t even think of that one!” She banged her head helplessly against his shoulder. “Tell me I’m not a complete disaster,” she begged.

“You are _absolutely_ a complete disaster,” Chat said, patting her head and grinning. “And Adrien would’ve loved it… if you, you know, hadn’t panicked at the last second and taken out half your dancers in your effort to get away from him.”

Marinette groaned again, scowling when she realized he was shaking with suppressed laughter.

“I really appreciate you not making fun of me in my time of need,” she growled.

“Hey, what are best friends for?”

“I meant that sarcastically.”

“Oh. Well then, _fine_ ,” he said, flipping his hair dramatically. “I guess I’ll go eat that ice cream by myself, then. After all, I’ve confessed to Ladybug a few times now and nobody’s ever given _me_ a pity party. And _I_ got all my words out.” He added.

“You’ll get no sympathy from me, kitty,” Marinette said, crossing her arms and giving him an unamused stare. “A battlefield with monsters is no place to start a romance. And a girl should only have to say no _once_ before a guy gets the point.”

Chat opened his mouth to argue, then closed it again, thinking. Marinette waited, hoping the message would sink in better than it did when she was Ladybug.

“So… you think I should try a flash mob?”

“NO!” she cried, throwing her hands up in the air. They were complete disasters, both of them. There was no hope for either of them!

She stomped over to the utensil drawer and pulled out a couple of spoons.

“C’mon, let’s go eat that ice cream and be miserable together,” she said, handing him one and heading upstairs again.

“Can we listen to Clara Nightingale?”

She shot a glare at his mischievous face. “No. We’re listening to Jagged Stone.”

“See, I told you it was better!!”

They ended up singing along too. And she had to admit, Chat Noir had a nice singing voice.


	13. Yarning For You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt Number 5

**Yarning for You**

Laying on Marinette’s bed was relaxing. Not only was it soft and comfortable, but the cat in him fully approved of the elevation, and the fact that there was an available escape route nearby. It was _perfect_. He needed a bed like this. Stuffed animals, sweet bakery smell and all.

Chat tossed the ball of yarn in the air and caught it thoughtfully.

Pink. Pink for Marinette, most definitely.

He grabbed another.

Red. Red was undoubtedly Ladybug.

He smiled at the two balls of yarn in his hands, representing his two favorite girls. He tucked them behind his head. Then he reached into the basket for another. Lime green. Chat grinned. That was _his_. (He _would_ call dibs on the black one, but he and that particular ball of yarn had had an altercation earlier….)

“So _this_ is where you snuck my yarn collection off to—Chaaat,” Marinette groaned, looking at the mess of black yarn on her bed.

He grinned at her unrepentantly. “Oops. What? It rolled away from me! I had to _cat_ ch it!!”

She sighed and seated herself on the bed, attempting to re-roll the ball. “Why do I put up with you?”

“My _exquisite_ animal magnetism,” he quipped, studying the green ball. He wondered…. “Hey, princess? What color would you give Adrien?”

“W-what?” she stuttered, blushing lightly.

Chat grinned again. Now that he knew about her crush, it was so damn cute to see her get all flustered about it.

“What color do you associate with Adrien the most?” he asked.

“Oh,” Marinette bit her lip, “light blue, I guess.”

“Really?” he said, surprised. He didn’t really wear that color much as Adrien, why would she—

She leaned over and took out a light-blue ball of yarn from the basket he’d snatched earlier.

“I made him a scarf with it once,” she said, looking at it fondly. Chat froze, staring at her. “Even if it didn’t turn out as well as I’d hoped, I’m still happy I was able to make him happy.”

“What happened?” he asked quietly.

She shrugged. “I forgot to sign it,” she said. “Or, well, I did, but the note must’ve fallen off or something, and he thought it came from someone else. I dunno. It doesn’t matter.”

“It _does_ matter!” Chat protested, inwardly seething. His father. His father had stolen a present from his classmate?? “You should tell him the truth!”

Marinette gave him a dry stare. “It was months ago, Chat,” she reminded him. “What possible reason could I have for telling him now?”

“Because you worked hard on it? Because he never got to thank you?? Because he’d want to know???”

“Don’t be silly,” she said, gently tossing the blue ball at him. He caught it with his free hand, blinking at her in disbelief. “All that would do is make him feel bad. He was happy on his birthday. That’s enough for me.”

Chat opened his mouth, but no words came out. That was enough? No thanks or elaborate gifts in return needed? Just his happiness? That was all?

He continued to stare at her at his heart gave a painful twang. He wanted to pull her into his arms and give her a big hug. Tell her thank you. Tell her he appreciated her and all the thoughtfulness that went into everything she did….

He sat up to try to do something or say something, _anything_ , but she glared at him and waggled a finger in his direction.

“Don’t you dare unravel any more of those.”

He chuckled lightly, looking down at his hands. That’s right. He was Chat Noir right now. He couldn’t thank her for something she’d given to Adrien. The two balls of yarn in his hands summed it up. Green and blue. Chat and Adrien. Two different boys, in her mind.

_Hmm_ , he wondered….

“Hey, princess,” he said, as she finished re-rolling the black yarn. She looked up at him and he held up the two yarn balls in his hands. “Which would you rather have? Green or blue?”

Me or Adrien, princess? Which one would you choose, even subconsciously?

“Silly kitty,” Marinette said, leaning over until she was very close to his face. Chat flushed as his pulse quickened. Then, to his surprise, she snatched the yarn right out of his hands.

“They’re _both_ mine already!”

Then she also grabbed the basket of yarn and climbed down the ladder before he’d recovered.

He licked his lips to try to calm his racing heart.

“You have no idea how right you are, princess,” he muttered.


	14. Mari Saves Chat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally prompt 7. When I looked at the prompt, the first thing that popped into my head was the first line of this story. ^_^ Some things just demand to be written.

**Mari Saves Chat**

 

_“MARINETTE, NO!!”_

Marinette finally got to her room and took a deep breath. _Oh, that had been too close. Waaay too close. That scream. She was never gonna get that scream out of her head._

She heard her hatch open and the cat-themed superhero himself dropped down onto her floor into a crouch. She bit her lip as he rose slowly, his eyes already narrowed in anger.

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly, closing the door to her room. If he was going to yell at her, which he was probably entitled to do right now, she didn’t want her parents to hear the exchange. She heard a low growl as he stalked towards her, his tail flicking in agitation behind him. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“Not good enough,” he snarled.

“I couldn’t help it!” Marinette protested as Chat Noir backed her up against her wall. “My body just moved on its own!”

“ _You_ ,” his claws moved he wanted to choke her, just before his face crumpled and he pulled her into his arms instead, hugging her tightly. “You _idiot_ ,” he sobbed, holding her tight. “I have magical, Miraculous armor, Marinette! I would’ve been fine!” She relaxed in his arms, hugging him back, all too aware of what _might’ve_ happened if they both hadn’t managed to dodge at the last second.

“Akuma magic has gotten through to you before,” she mumbled against his shoulder.

“And what do you think it would’ve done to _you_?” he countered, tightening his grip briefly. She swallowed. The acid that the akumatized science teacher had been shooting… it had burned through the floor like it was nothing.

“Probably would’ve melted me into a puddle of goo,” she admitted sheepishly. He whimpered, and she felt his claws dig into her briefly before he got himself under control again. She’d managed to get away, of course, and Ladybug and Chat Noir had saved the day like usual, but….

“Idiot,” he muttered. “Stupid, stupid, _idiot_. _I’m_ the one who’s supposed to protect _you_.”

“Chat, I’m serious. I wasn’t thinking,” she said, pulling away from him a bit. “I’m usually the first one out the door when an akuma attacks, you know that! I don’t know why I jumped in front of you like that—”

He whimpered again, shaking his head from the memory. “Don’t ever do that again, princess,” he begged. Her heart ached at the sight of the pain on his face.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered again.

“Promise me you won’t ever do that again!” he insisted.

She gulped and looked away. She couldn’t. Not when she was Ladybug and he was her partner. Chat Noir took plenty of hits for her, and she tried to stay back, because she knew she _had_ to make it through each fight to put everything back together again, but… she couldn’t promise that everything would go all right every single time. There might come a time when Ladybug needed to make a sacrifice for Chat Noir. In the midst of battle, there might be a time when she saw the attack before he did and, like today, her body just _moved_ ….

“Marinette?”

She wet her lips. She was going to have to tell him soon. Chat and Marinette were getting too close to for him to _not_ notice something was up. Either she or Ladybug was going to slip up, spilling a secret or telling a joke that only he and the other girl would know about… and for all of his lame jokes and goofball antics, he was far from stupid…. She felt Chat’s hands on her cheeks, gently lifting her face to look at him. She looked into his eyes and saw the concern there.

“Promise me,” he demanded again. She opened her mouth, but choked on the words. _If she made the promise and then he found out later that she was Ladybug, who risked herself daily…. Oh, he was going to be so angry…._

“I… can’t,” she choked out. She saw his face crumple again. “It wasn’t a conscious decision, Chat! I just—”

He gave a strangled growl, and the next thing she knew, his lips were pressed against hers.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued....


	15. Kitty Kisses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continued from the last chapter.

**Kitty Kisses**

Marinette froze. Chat Noir pulled away from her, shaking.

“Ohhh… O-Okay… I-I um, yeah… I can explain—no, I can’t,” he babbled, stepping back further and looking extreme nervous. “I—umm, I’m so sorry, I don’t know what—”

“Your body just moved?” Marinette finished for him, her voice strangely calm, considering how much she was screaming inside. _He kissed her! HE’D KISSED HER!!_ Chat Noir flushed.

“I—um, yeah. Gah, that sounds like such an awful excuse!” he said, grabbing his hair and stepping away from her further. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry and it’ll never happen again and I’m just gonna leave now and never come back—”

“Wait, Chat!” she cried as he turned to go. Before he could leap out of her bedroom, she grabbed his tail and pulled him to a stop. He slumped, his head hanging.

“Marinette, I—”

“We are both hyped up on adrenaline and near-death experiences,” she said, determined not to make him feel completely awkward about what had just happened. “I think we’re allowed a bye on this one.”

Chat paused for a moment and gave a short, helpless laugh. “Oh God, princess, please don’t give me a bye,” he begged.

She let his tail go in confusion. “Why not?” she asked.

He slowly turned to face her, guilt and humor warring on his face before he covered it again with his hand.

“Because I—,” he stopped and took a deep breath. “There’s a part of me that wants to do it again,” he whispered, his blush visible underneath his hand. Marinette felt her own face heat up in response.

To be honest, she wasn’t completely against the idea. It had felt good, no matter that neither of them knew what they were doing, or that neither of them had dared to move, or that he wasn’t the boy she _truly_ wanted to kiss…. Chat was a wonderful person in his own right, but he wanted Ladybug. And she wanted Adrien.

This was insane.

“I’m sorry, please don’t hate me,” Chat babbled again, misreading the look on her face. “I know you’re in love with A-Ad—someone else. And I am too! Ladybug, I mean! I’m in love with Ladybug! I’m not in love with Adrien, that would be super weird and—”

Marinette burst out laughing.

“—and now you’re laughing at me and you must think I’m like, the sickest weirdo ever, to go around and kiss girls when I already—”

“Chat,” she interrupted, grinning at him. “This is why I said we needed the bye.”

Chat Noir looked at her and finally shut up, taking a deep, calming breath.

“You’re not… mad?” he asked finally. She shook her head and smiled at him.

“It wasn’t _that_ bad,” she said, rolling her eyes. He looked offended for a moment, then realized she was teasing him and scowled at her. She giggled. “Besides, if you just intended to seduce me by coming here and pretending to be my friend, Mr. Superhero, you should’ve made a move before now. Think of all the time you’ve wasted just lounging on my chaise!”

“I happen to like that chaise,” he pouted, crossing his arms in a huff. She laughed again.

“Or stalking my balcony!”

“Hey, you have a nice setup!”

“Or stealing cookies and croissants!”

“You _offered_ them to me!!”

“Or talking to me, doing homework with me, trying to talk me through confessing to my crush, consoling me when I mess it up….” Chat chuckled and Marinette grinned. “Seems like a lot of work for one measly kiss.”

To her disappointment, his face fell again.

“Chat….”

“It’s just, I _kissed_ you,” he said.

She rolled her eyes. He really was much too much of a gentleman for his own good. She stepped up close to him and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

“There, now _I’ve_ kissed _you_ ,” she said lightly. “We’re even. No need to worry about it anymore.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You kissed me on the cheek,” he pointed out.

“Ohhh, so you really _do_ want another kiss,” she teased, smirking at him. He flushed deeper and opened his mouth to deny it, but then closed it again, his eyes darting down to her lips for a moment unconsciously. Her breath caught as he licked his lips and locked eyes with her.

_He did,_ she realized. _He really, really did._

She bit her lip uncertainly. Spur-of-the-moment was one thing, but going into it knowing… _knowing_ what he wanted and _who_ he really wanted and who _she_ wanted and _they were just friends, dammit_ —but that intense look in his eye was making her insides twist around in not-unpleasant way. And the heat and pressure before had been _really_ nice, not to mention the way he’d held her, like something precious…. Besides, she knew she could trust him. Chat Noir was the one person in the world she was absolutely sure wouldn’t hurt her. He’d be the first to back off if she asked.

And it wasn’t really cheating if they weren’t actually dating anyone else, right?

“We still have that bye,” she said softly, licking her lips and stepping closer to him.

His next breath came out kind of ragged and she felt his arm slowly slide around her waist, ready to jump back the moment she gave any indication she wanted him to. She couldn’t help the way her hand trembled slightly as she reached up to cup his cheek, tilting her head slightly to avoid bumping noses. A self-satisfied part of her brain noticed that he was leaning in too, just as eager and nervous as she was. Then, slowly, tentatively, she brushed his lips with hers.

They both jumped back from the spark of the initial contact; the idea that _they were really doing this_ crashing around them.

Gulping, Marinette summoned some of her Ladybug-courage, threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled him back down to her. Their noses crashed into each other and they both winced away from the pain.

“Sorry,” she muttered, her eyes watering.

Chat just chuckled and reached up to gently tilt her chin up a bit, and then, brushing past her nose, he pressed his lips gently against hers.

_Oh._

Marinette sighed as her body relaxed against him, melting into the kiss. His lips moved slowly against hers, every touch sending shivers up and down her spine. To her surprise, he made no move to deepen it, or speed up or increase the intensity. He seemed content to simply kiss her at an almost-lazy pace.

It was _wonderful_.

This wasn’t passion and instant regret. No promises or expectations. It was just him and her, enjoying each other in a way they never had before. And when he did start pushing just a bit harder, moving slightly faster, she simply drew away and he instantly backed off.

Marinette opened her eyes to see him staring at her. Then, he gave her a long, slow blink. Marinette giggled. _Kitty kisses. Of course he would give her kitty kisses._

A big, dopey smile blossomed on his face. Marinette giggled again, sure her own face matched it.

“Hi,” she said, running her fingers through his hair some more.

“Hi,” he answered, pressing his forehead against hers. He was still grinning broadly.

Marinette closed her eyes. She felt really, really good right now. She pressed another kiss, quick and chaste, against his lips, happiness bubbling out of her in another giggle.

“So….”

“I’m still mad at you,” Chat mumbled, pulling her closer for another hug.

Marinette shook in silent laughter. From here, it was impossible not to feel his happy purr rumbling through his body, and she was sure he still had that dopey smile on his face.

“Are not,” she said, hugging him back.

“Am too.”

“Are—”

He kissed her again to hide his own laughter.


	16. Belt Tail

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 9

**Belt Tail**

The movie was boring.

Oh, _God_ , was the movie boring. She’d had the villain figured out within five minutes, and watching the heroes go around and be thwarted (often by their own stupidity and saved by nothing more than sheer luck) was frustrating, to say the least.

_Still, being cuddled from behind by a giant, warm, purring cat-boy pretty much made up for any egregious plot holes,_ she thought wryly, reaching back to scratch Chat gently behind the ears. He leaned into it for a moment, his purring intensifying.

“You’re distracting me,” he murmured in her ear, his eyes not leaving the laptop in front of them. 

“You’re welcome,” she said dryly. Still bored, she stretched out her legs a bit on the bed where they were watching the movie.

“Oh, come on, it’s not that bad,” he said, shifting his hold on her so he could lean into her touch more.

Marinette glanced at the screen. “I have literally never seen this before, and I can already tell someone is gonna fall down that hole.”

“What hole?”

On screen, one of the characters was pushed into the hole by the evil villain, much to the wailing and carrying-on of his teammates.

“That hole.”

“How did you know that?!” Chat exclaimed.

“It’s a low-budget cartoon,” Marinette said, rolling her eyes as the heroes swore eternal vengeance on the evil villain. As if they hadn’t _already_ sworn to take him down. “They literally can’t afford to make something that detailed in the background unless it’s part of the plot.”

“Oh yeah? What about that stalactite in the back there?” Chat challenged as the heroes started their Epic Final Battle in the Cave of Doom. “That looks pretty detailed.”

She gave him a wry grin. “Chat-pancake.”

“What?” No sooner had the word left his mouth than the stalactite in question came crashing down on top of one of the heroes. Chat scowled. “Never mind. I get it.”

“I would think you’ve been in enough of these fights to understand how it’s going to go from here,” Marinette chuckled, scratching him under the chin. He grumbled a bit, his tail flickering back and forth. It caught Marinette’s eye.

“How do you do that?” she asked, pointing at his waving tail. He looked back at it.

“It does it on its own,” he said, shrugging.

“Can you feel it?” she asked, genuinely curious.

“Yeah,” he admitted. “The ears too. It’s weird.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Huh?’ he looked surprised by her question.

“Your tail. When I—uh, when Ladybug pulls on it or takes it off you, does it hurt?” she clarified. She’d never even thought of it before now, honestly. She’d simply seen it as an accessory she could use from time to time.

Chat thought about it for a moment. “Not really,” he finally answered. “It’s more like a jolt of awareness that somebody’s touching me. And when I take it off, I lose all the feeling in it and it’s just a belt until I put it back on. I do get kinda dizzy afterwards, though. It shifts my balance a bit.”

“Oh.” Marinette made a mental note not to use the tail belt unless she absolutely had to.

_Still…._

She gently grabbed the tail in question and pulled it into her lap, giving it a gentle stroke.

“Princess….” Chat’s voice sounded ragged.

“Can you feel that?” she asked, looking up at him as she stroked it again. His pupils were blown wide and… he was _blushing_.

“YES,” he rasped out, reaching out and pulling her hands away from the belt. It instantly retreated behind him again. Marinette pouted.

“You could’ve told me if I was hurting you.”

“It wasn’t—I didn’t—can we _please_ just watch the movie?” Chat stammered. “I’m not sure I trust you experimenting with my tail. Especially not with that look on your face.”

“Hey! I’ll have you know I am a perfectly-innocent teenage girl.”

Chat snorted. “There’s an oxymoron.”

Marinette smacked him lightly upside the head, but he just grinned at her.

“All right, Movie Master, what happens next?” he said, nodding at the screen.

She scowled at him, but obliged and studied the situation for a moment. “The one who fell down the hole miraculously comes back up in the nick of time to save all his friends,” she said.

Chat burst out laughing. “That’d never happen!”

“Wanna bet?”

He ended up owing her ten euros.


	17. I Thought I Lost You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally prompt 20

**I Thought I Lost You**

_“Miraculous Ladybug!!”_

Chat Noir gasped in a breath of sweet, sweet air as his wounds were suddenly cured, as if they’d never been there in the first place. He took a moment to remind himself how _good_ it was to breathe… and then realized that people could see him right now.

He flipped onto his feet, grinning at the crowd when they broke into cheers.

_Yay!_

_Chat Noir was okay!_

_Ladybug had made everything okay again!_

He gave them all a bow, and then used his baton to pole-vault up to the roof of the building where he and Ladybug had been fighting the akuma. There was his partner, comforting the victim.

_Just a kid this time_ , Chat noted with a grimace. The kids always seemed to make the worst villains. This one was a little boy, who clearly had a penchant for shooting games. The gamer inside Chat could sympathize, but he sure hoped the boy found a better outlet for all that pent-up aggression. How many times had he been shot? He’d lost count.

The police finally made it up the stairs to the roof, and Ladybug turned the boy over to them, so they could take him home. Only then did his partner make her way towards Chat Noir.

“Hey,” she said, sounding kinda shaky.

Chat smiled at her. “Hey.”

“You okay?” she asked, nervously licking her lips.

“I’ll be fine,” he said, nodding. Part of his brain noted that he’d missed an opportunity for at least three puns in there, but… he just wasn’t in the mood. Ladybug seemed to notice as well.

“You sure? I could—”

“Milady, why don’t you go visit that boy you like so much?” he suggested, before she could get all overprotective on him. “You got hurt too, and I’m sure he’s worried about you.”

“But—well… I mean… I don’t wanna just leave you alone, Chat!” Ladybug exclaimed.

“I’m good. I’ve got a friend of my own that I can go talk to, if I need to. Well, if she’s home right now. That akuma got kinda close to her house.”

“Is that why you freaked out?” Ladybug asked softly. In the moonlight, it almost looked like she was blushing.

“Yeah.” Chat smiled at her. “Go. Go talk to your boy-toy. I’m sure he’ll be happy to take your mind off—what happened tonight. Maybe even make things better with his _magical kiss_ ,” he teased, winking at her.

Now she really was blushing.

“We-we’re not like that!” she stammered. Chat laughed.

“Okay, milady. Whatever you say,” he said, still smiling as he took her hand and gave it a kiss, far more courtly than flirtatious.

“Chat….” Ladybug looked torn.

Chat smiled again. Normally, he’d start flirting. He’d tease her about wanting to be with him instead of her boyfriend, (it had to be her boyfriend, right? No man in his right mind would turn down _Ladybug_!) and make puns and jokes until she pushed him away and started laughing again.

But right now, he was tired. He wanted Marinette, and her soft touches and warm cuddles. He wanted the sweet smell of the bakery and the sound of laughter wafting up from the living room as her parents watched a movie downstairs. He wanted the forgiving half-light of her lamps casting shadows on the walls, hiding the heat he felt when he looked at her.

He wanted home.

_Home._

“Goodnight, Bugaboo,” he said, waving at her and taking off towards the bakery.

_God, when had he started thinking of her room as his home instead of his own house?_ he wondered as he leapt from building to building. _The idea had snuck up on him, but it felt so right…._

He jumped down to ground level before he got to her house, landing in the park. Her light wasn’t even on, he could see it from here.

_What right did he have to call that place his home?_ he scolded himself, pacing.

_What right did he have to come here so often and demand snacks and attention? To touch her, let alone hold her? Especially knowing that she pined for someone else??_

He collapsed onto a park bench and buried his face in his hands. _I’m a mess, princess,_ he thought wryly. _My home life’s a joke and my powers are what nightmares are made of._

_What could I possibly offer you that you’d want to take?_

* * *

 

Marinette raced towards her house, very nearly out of breath. She’d considered Chat’s words, she really had. It sounded great. No doubt Adrien would love to get a personal visit from Ladybug. And no doubt, she could make up an excuse not to be in her room tonight. She could say Alya called. The akuma was too close and I was scared! I went to go see a movie!

But all those lies had turned her stomach and left her feeling unhappy. She didn’t want to lie to Chat. She wanted…

_Holy crap_ , _she_ **_wanted_** …

She wanted to be with Chat more than she wanted to be with Adrien right now!

The thought made her run faster, catching a second wind.

_When did you invade my heart, kitty?_ she wondered. _When did you come in and steal it, right out from under me?? Why couldn’t I see it until now?!_

_CHAT!_

She was almost there. Marinette slowed down to take a breath. One more corner and—she stopped. There was Chat. He wasn’t waiting for her in her room, or on her balcony, like he had a thousand times before… he was in the park. Slumped on a bench in the park, to be specific.

_Why?_

She stepped forward to call out to him, but before she could, he leaned back, staring at her window with a longing expression. Then he stood up and, to her absolute shock, he shook his head and turned away.

He wasn’t coming to see her.

Marinette stood there, frozen. _He’d said he was coming to see her. He **wanted** to come here, she knew he did! So, why?! And why—_suddenly, she had a feeling… _he was never gonna come here again._

She’d never see him again… except as Ladybug.

She felt her heart break, her legs nearly giving out on her. But at the same time, a surge of anger and determination sewed her heart back up as quickly as it’d broken.

“CHAT!!” she screamed, running towards him.

His kitty ears swiveled and he turned in surprise, looking shocked to see her.

“Marinette?!” he exclaimed, as she ran across the park. “What are you—”

She threw herself in his arms, pulling his head down for a scorching kiss. He froze for a moment, undoubtedly surprised, but then he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, returning the kiss with fervor.

Marinette had no idea how long they stood there, clinging to each other; his hands tangling in her hair while hers roamed his body and cupped his face. Finally, she pulled back to see a dumbfounded expression on his face.

“Uh…. H-hi,” he stammered. “You—uh…”

“You _stupid_ cat,” she breathed. “I _know_ you weren’t thinking of leaving without even telling me goodbye.”

His sheepish expression gave him away.

“I—uh, I just thought—”

“I thought I _lost_ you,” she growled. “That you were never coming back! You’ve always gotta come back, Chat!!”

He looked away uneasily for a moment.

“Chat?! Promise me you’ll always come back home to me!!”

His ears perked up at her words and he stared at her, wide-eyed.

“Home?” he repeated.

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Yes, home, you mangy stray,” she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the bakery.

He let out a deep breath as he fell into step beside her.

“So, your home is my home?” he asked hopefully.

“Obviously,” she said.

He couldn’t help but glance at her out of the corner of his eye, licking his lips a bit. “And… will I be greeted so enthusiastically every time I come home?” he asked, meaning to tease her a bit. Marinette gulped, but she didn’t look at him.

“Do you wanna be?” she asked, sounding calm. Despite that, Chat could see her blush. He felt a grin creep up on him, even as his face matched hers.

“Yeah, I could get used to that,” he said, trying to be nonchalant.

“Okay, then.”

He felt a thrill go through him at her easy admission. Thankfully, the way she gripped his hand belayed her own nervousness. And his relaxed attitude? It was a damned, dirty lie. Holy heaven, he could still taste that kiss! He’d never get used to something like that!

But it certainly would keep him coming back for more. He grinned and squeezed her hand as she led him inside.


	18. Dog Person

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 29

**Dog Person**

Chat absently tossed a ball of yarn into the air while he lounged on Marinette’s chaise. He’d already done his homework (like a good little boy), done his patrol (like a good little superhero), aced his physics test this morning, beaten all his opponents in fencing, and was currently avoiding practicing the piano. Again.

And he had good reason for that.

He’d come up with a new slogan for his life: success will be punished. He’d found that every time he did well in an area, his father suddenly expected him to do well in that area _all the time._

_“Oh, Adrien did all of his homework on time this week, despite the **seven** photoshoots I scheduled on top of everything else he had to do? Good. We’ll make it **nine** next week.”_

_“Adrien aced his physics test today? Excellent. I’d better never see another imperfect mark from him, ever again.”_

_“Adrien won the fencing tournament? Very well. He should be able to beat all his teammates at any time. Anything less will be taken as a mark of defiance against me.”_

Chat snorted. Of course, his father had never actually _said_ any of those things (at least not that he was aware of), but it sounded like something his father would say. So, Adrien was experimenting. What would his father do if his skills on the piano didn’t improve, despite hours of “practicing?” He was curious. And he could always fall back on the whole “Mom used to play with me, and it’s so hard without her,” sob story if his father got really angry.

_Besides, that left more time for him to be Chat Noir. And visit a certain princess…._ He grinned, twisting his head to look over at Marinette, who was glaring at her homework and chewing on the end of her stylus.

“Do the numbers write themselves if you chew hard enough?” he asked cheekily.

“I hate log rhythms,” Marinette muttered, spitting out the stylus and leaning back in despair. She ran her fingers through her hair, looking like she was seconds away from pulling it out. “Chat, distract me for a minute,” she finally begged.

_Ooo, he liked the sound of that._

“And how would you like me to _distract_ you, princess?” he purred, sinking his claws into his ball of yarn so he didn’t get up and start stalking her.

“Get your mind out of the gutter, alley cat. Just talk to me. No puns,” she added quickly, before he could even open his mouth.

“Aww, but puns are pun-derful!”

“I mean it,” she growled. “I have a squirt bottle and I’m not afraid to use it!”

“Ooo, feisty!” he laughed. He started kneading the ball of yarn to distract himself. “Let’s see… what can we talk about? Ah, yes! What’s your favorite type of cat, princess? Besides yours truly, of course,” he added with a wink.

“Contrary to popular belief, _I_ am actually a dog person,” Marinette said primly, her nose in the air. Chat gaped at her.

“Traitor!” he cried, sitting up.

“And someday, I’d like a cute little puppy and a hamster.”

“BLASPHEMY!!”

“I’ll probably name him Spot.”

“You DARE—"

“—And what are _you_ doing to that yarn ball?!”

“Nothing!” Chat yelped, quickly hiding it behind his back.

“Chaaaat,” Marinette glared at him. “You’re destroying it, aren’t you?”

_Technically… yes._ “It’s being put to good use,” he assured her, continuing to knead it behind his back. “This is very therapeutic for cats.”

“OMG. _This_ is why I hate cats. They destroy everything!”

“I can deny nothing. I am, after all, the living embodiment of destruction,” Chat grinned, holding up his ring.

“You’re not gonna stop, are you?”

“Can’t stop. Won’t stop.” He gave a little dab for good measure.

“Ugh! _Why_ did I fall in love with _you_ of all people?!” Marinette cried, collapsing against her desk dramatically.

“Just lucky, I guess—wait, _what?”_ Chat’s head whipped up to stare at her at the same moment she realized what she’d just said. She froze, her face taking on a deer-in-the-headlights look. He abandoned his ball of yarn to stand up and slowly move towards her, even as she tried to save herself.

“I—I—I—well, what I mean is—I just… err, that came out wrong—and I uhh…,” Marinette stammered as he drew closer. “I… really like you? As a friend?”

He dropped to his knees in front of her. “Say it again, princess?” he begged.

She gulped and looked away. “Nope. Dog person, remember?”

“ _Princess_ ,” he begged, nudging her until his head was in her lap. She avoided eye contact, even as her hand absently drifted down to stroke his hair. He leaned into it and kissed her palm before she could draw away. “Please?”

“You’re not gonna let this go, are you,” she said weakly.

“And lose something so purr-fect? Not a chance,” he murmured, closing his eyes and inhaling her scent. _Marinette. Flowers, and vanilla, and a hint of strawberry—and maybe just a touch of fear…_ He opened his eyes. “Unless you really want me to,” he amended, looking up to gauge her reaction. “But you should know, I—I love you too. You know, as a friend.”

She glanced down at his soft tone.

“I… I just…,” her hand drifted over to his face to lightly trace his mask. Chat got the message anyway.

_I don’t even know who you are._

“Just say the word. Say the word and I’m all yours,” he said, clenching his fist against his nervousness. _If that was what she needed… if that was what he needed to do to keep her…_ he’d drop his transformation right here, right now, and deal with Ladybug’s anger later. He could trust Marinette. He knew he could.

“ _No_.”

He blinked, a bit surprised at the emphasis in her tone. She was frowning at him. _Crap, what had he done wrong this time? He’d just offered to—he’d offered all of himself! What else could she want?!_

Slowly, gently, Marinette took his face in her hands.

“I would _never_ ask you to put yourself in danger in order to prove your love, Chat,” she said softly. “That’s not how love works.” He swallowed at the sincerity in her eyes, drinking her in. “I just—I’m just… scared,” she said finally.

“Of me?”

“Of all this.”

He smiled. “I don’t think that’s how love is supposed to work either, princess.”

She gave a little laugh, relaxing against him as they gazed into each other’s eyes.

After a moment, she sighed in defeat. “I love you, Chat Noir.”

He scooped her up his arms, barely stifling his shout of joy as he spun her around her room, laughing. She giggled as well as she hugged him back.

Chat was so happy, he almost didn’t hear—

“I’m still a dog person, though.”

He stopped spinning to glare up at the girl he held in his arms.

“No.”

She grinned at him cheekily. “I’m getting a dog, Chat. Get over it.”

He thought about it for a moment. “I will allow a _small_ one.”

“It’s gonna get bigger the more you argue about it…,” she sang.

He growled at her and tightened his grip on her. “How did I fall in love with someone so frustrating??”

Marinette gave him a quick kiss on the nose. “Just lucky, I guess.”

 

* * *

 

“How about we name the _hamster_ ‘Spot’ instead?”

“Chaaaat,” Marinette groaned. “My dog is gonna be a St. Bernard by the time I’m ready to get it….”

“Not talking about the dog!” he said quickly. “Talking about the hamster!” She gave him a disbelieving glare and went back to her homework. “Of course,” he added with an evil smirk, licking his lips. “We could also name it ‘Lunch’.”

As expected, she immediately abandoned her homework to playfully beat him with a pillow.

“YOU ARE NOT EATING MY HAMSTER!!”


	19. Cuddles + Petting + Nuzzles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 16

**Cuddles + Petting + Nuzzles**

Chat Noir had to remind himself to breathe when he finally touched down on Marinette’s balcony. Unlike most nights when he visited, she was outside, leaning on her railing.

And she didn’t look happy.

In fact, she looked worse than the first time he’d come here, seeking the comfort of a friend during the Glaciator incident. Her eyes were red and her nose was puffy. He steeled himself. Comforting crying girls wasn’t exactly his specialty, but he did have a few tricks up his sleeve.

“Hey,” he called softly, licking his lips.

“Hey,” she said tonelessly.

“Rough day?”

“I don’t really wanna talk about it.”

“Okay,” he nodded, understanding perfectly. “Do you want a hug instead?” He asked, holding his arms open.

Marinette sighed, but after a moment, she turned towards him and slumped into his arms. Chat gathered her up, allowing his comforting purr to rumble through his whole body as he sat down on her lounger chair with her in his lap. She tucked her head under his chin automatically, and he idly stroked her hair.

“I’m sorry you’re hurting,” he murmured. She tensed in his arms and he inwardly kicked himself. “Right, right. No talking. Just purrs.”

He amped up the purrs, earning a little giggle from her. He mentally fist-pumped when she relaxed against him again.

“Chat, what are we?” Marinette asked suddenly.

“A girl and her cat,” he quipped. “Enjoying the fresh Parisian air.” He breathed deeply and then broke into a bunch of theatrical coughs.

“No, I mean, really.” Her voice had taken on a serious note and he looked down at her in surprise _. Their unspoken agreement not to mention or talk about their little make-out sessions had been serving them pretty well up until now,_ he thought.

“What do you wanna be, princess?” he asked quietly. His mouth had gone dry again. _Sure, they’d told each other they loved each other, but really, they **could’ve** just meant as friends… He knew he loved her more than just any old friend, but…._

“That’s just it. I don’t know,” she admitted, frowning. “I know I don’t wanna be some two-timer if I ever do get a boyfriend, but I… I still… don’t wanna lose you.”

“Oho,” he teased. “Has Adrien finally fallen for your irresistible charm?”

Marinette snorted and, to his dismay, her face fell again. “The opposite, actually.”

He felt the color drain from his face while he furiously ransacked his brain for all their interactions today. Had she told Adrien that she loved him somewhere in there? No, no, he’d been a bit preoccupied from an incident with Ladybug earlier this morning, but he would’ve remembered something like _that_! Marinette was important to him to!

“I don’t even register on his romantic radar!” she continued, so frustrated that she stood up and started pacing. “I finally worked up the courage to ask him out to lunch today and he responded with a, ‘no thanks, I’m not hungry.’”

Chat froze. _Oh_. _Oh, that. **That** had been a date proposal??_

“And he says it in such a sweet tone that I know he’s not rejecting _me_ or anything, he’s just literally _not hungry_ , but I—Chat, what are you doing?” Marinette asked, watching the superhero pull himself up and go over to the brick wall. He banged his head against it, hard.

“Chat!”

_BANG!_

“Chat, stop it! What are you doing?!”

“I’m knocking the stupid out of him,” Chat said listlessly. “By proxy.”

_BANG!_

“I don’t think that’s how that works—”

_BANG!_

“—Oh, for Pete’s sake, Chat! Stop! I don’t wanna have to bandage your head again!”

He finally allowed her to pull him away from the wall. “I’m sorry you’re in love with an idiot, princess,” he mumbled.

She giggled, checking his forehead to make sure he hadn’t actually caused himself any damage. “It seems like all the boys I love are idiots in one way or another,” she said, her hand lingering a bit on his hair.

Not for the first time, he wondered how she’d react if he just de-transformed in front of her.

“There are better ways of cheering me up than hurting yourself,” she said, breaking their gaze to go sit on her lounge chair again. “Tell me something good that happened today.”

He bit his lip. _He did have some good news, but he didn’t want to rub it in her face…._ Her expectant look decided him.

“Ladybug kissed me today.”

Marinette toppled backwards out of the chair with a yelp.

“WHA—really?” she said, hardly missing a beat as she tried to get herself composed again. “What—what was that like?”

“Amazing,” he said dreamily, unable to keep the dopey smile off his face. He sank down beside her, cupping his face in his hands. “It was just on the cheek, I mean, nothing major, but… coming from her….”

“Chat,” Marinette said slowly, standing up and twiddling her thumbs nervously. “ _We_ kiss each other on the cheek on the time. She was probably just saying goodbye.”

“Exactly!” he said, excited. “ _We_ kiss each other. You and me. Not Ladybug. I’m lucky if she remembers our fist bump after we beat the akuma. But this—this is _progress!”_

He missed Marinette’s facepalm.

“I know it’s not a declaration of everlasting love or anything,” he said. “But it’s nice to know I still have a chance.”

Marinette opened her mouth. Closed it. And sighed.

“Just don’t get your hopes up too high,” she said softly.

“Right, right.” Chat looked over to her. “And if she rejects me again, I can always come and cry on your shoulder. Right, princess?” He reached up and pulled her closer, so she was standing above him.

“Right,” she said with a tight grin.

“Which brings us back to… us,” Chat finished, looking at her expectantly. “What do you want from this alley cat, Marinette?”

She smiled and brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes. “A friend.”

He nodded. “Definitely got that.”

“A listening ear.”

“I have _extras_.” He waggled his cat ears for good measure.

She giggled and kissed the top of his head. “A hug whenever I need one.”

“That goes for both of us!” he instantly replied, hugging her to prove his point.

“A homework buddy.”

“When we’re not distracted.”

“A gaming partner.”

“If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” he nodded.

“A croissant stealer….”

“I maintain that if they’re in plain sight, they’re fair game.”

“And…,” she trailed off.

“And?”

“I don’t know, Chat,” she confessed. “I’m _sorry_. I just—”

“Hey, no need to be sorry,” he said, standing up and wrapping an arm around her. “It’s just me you’re talking to. If you don’t wanna define this—whatever it is—thing we’ve got, so be it.”

“I just—I _liked_ kissing you,” Marinette said. “And I know I shouldn’t. It’s not fair to you, or to Adrien,” she gave a little laugh, “or to Ladybug—”

“—Or to you,” he finished. “Okay, so we cut back on the kisses. Keep it friendly?”

She didn’t answer, and he felt his grin widen when he realized she was blushing.

“Or do you wanna kiss me right now?” he teased, waggling his eyebrows. She scowled at him, her face still bright red.

“Not with that stupid smirk on your face,” she grumbled.

“Ahhh, so, you’re just gonna play with the tail a bit?”

“CHAT!!”

He laughed when she smacked him, the two of them playing a strange sort of tag on the balcony. He teased her while she creatively threatened him with bodily harm, only to end up in her room watching bad movies and snacking on croissants. Again.

And if he happened to brush her hair back and give her quick kiss goodnight before he tucked her in, neither of them mentioned it.

_Them. They were simply them,_ he thought as he jumped over buildings to get back to his house. He didn’t know how much longer they could stay the way they were, but until then, he’d cherish the time he got. Every cuddle. Every petting. Every nuzzle.

Every moment.


	20. I Made You a Mask

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 19

**I Made You a Mask**

Chat Noir landed on Marinette’s bed and looked around quickly.

_Deserted. Perfect._

His ring gave another frantic beep. He took a deep breath and allowed the transformation to drop. Plagg flew up to his face, unamused.

“Your house is _literally_ a block away,” the kwami reminded him.

Adrien looked away. “It’s a big block,” he reasoned. “I didn’t know if I’d make it on time.”

“Uh huh. And the idea of seeing your girlfriend again—”

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

“—instead of being chewed out by your father for not practicing your piano _again_ … was just a happy coincidence?” Plagg said, giving him a sideways stare.

“You got it!” Adrien said cheerfully, shooting his kwami some finger guns. He flopped back onto the bed, relaxing for a moment and letting the familiar scent of this place wash over him. His eyes happened to fall on the pictures Marinette had. “I don’t know why he even bothers to have me play anymore,” he muttered, frowning at the _Gabriel_ ads. “It’s not like he ever _comes_ to my recitals.”

There was a bang down below, and Adrien sat up straight, looking down in horror as Marinette came up into her room.

He dove under the blankets.

“Plagg,” he hissed, “claws—”

“Cheese, kid,” Plagg deadpanned, reminding Adrien that they’d used Cataclysm in the battle they’d just gotten back from. Adrien dug around in his jacket. _Blast. He was all out of his emergency supply!_

“Chat, is that you?” Marinette called.

Adrien winced. “Um, yeah!”

“You sound weird. Is everything okay?”

_Crap. Crap. Crap! Her voice was getting closer!_ “Everything’s fine!”

“You’d better not have my yarn collection under there with you,” she warned. Judging from her voice, she was on the stairs to her bed, if not closer.

“Nope! Just me!” he said, trying to laugh. He felt the blanket move. “No, don’t!” he yelped, pulling the covers tighter around himself.

“I knew it!” Marinette cried, exasperation running through her voice as she pulled on the blanket again. “You _do_ have something you’re not supposed to! What is it? My yarn? My _diary_? I swear to God, if you’re trying to read my diary, Chat—"

“I’m not!” he yowled, perfectly aware that his bad track record was not working in his favor as she tugged harder. “I’m—”

His throat closed on the words. His mind spun. _If he told her he wasn’t transformed right now, what would she do?! Would she still pull the covers off?! Her best friend was Alya; surely she’d want to know who he was too, right?!_

_And when she found out who he really was… ohhhh, she’d **hate** him!!_

Panicked, he could only squeak and growl as they continued to fight over the blankets. _It was turning into an all-out wrestling match! He had to think of something! Something to distract her! Something! ANYTHING!_

Marinette, realizing that she wasn’t going to be able to pull the blankets _up_ , suddenly switched tactics and dove underneath them.

With _him_.

“Gotcha, kit—!”

Adrien panicked and pounced, throwing her down onto the bed. Then, before she could look up at him, one of his hands quickly covered her eyes while the other pinned her hands above her head.

_Crap! She was still trying to fight him!!_

“Don’t you _dare_ tickle me, you—!"

With one part of his brain in full panic mode ( _DISTRACT HER! DISTRACT HER! DISTRACT HER!!_ ) and the other trying to find a way to keep her immobile ( _HOLY CRAP, SHE’S STRONG! WHY IS FIGHTING SO HARD?!_ ) he did the first thing that came to mind.

He covered her lips with his.

Marinette froze beneath him.

And he froze above her. Knowing perfectly well how bad this looked.

Here he was—without his catsuit—pinning his classmate to her bed—kissing her on the mouth—both of them breathing heavily— _please nobody come through that door, this looks really bad_ —and… OH MAN, HOW LONG HAD HE BEEN KISSING HER NOW?!

He quickly broke the kiss, shifting his weight so he could get up off her. He still didn’t dare take his hand away from her eyes.

“ _You_ ,” Marinette gasped, freeing one arm and trying to force his hand away from her face, “have about _two seconds_ to explain yourself before I knee you below the belt, buster!”

“Sorry,” he panted, his face now brighter than Ladybug’s costume. “I just—”

“Chat,” she said, her voice suddenly calm. “Are your _hands_ touching me?” Her own fingers were tracing the skin of his hand as he continued to pin her down.

“I can explain—”

“Not your _gloves_?”

“Umm…”

“Oh my God,” she groaned, going limp beneath him. “You’re not transformed right now, are you.”

“Please don’t peek,” he begged. “I just… kinda panicked.”

“I’ll say,” she muttered. “Let me go, please. I promise I won’t peek.” He hesitated, wondering if Plagg would be able to suddenly, miraculously transform him right now. “Chat, I’m serious. I don’t want to know your identity. I even made you a mask for this very situation.”

He blinked. “Really?!” he asked incredulously, finally sitting up.

True to her word, Marinette’s eyes remained closed.

“Yes, really, you silly cat,” she teased, still not moving. “Now, go hide under my blankets again so I can grab it for you.”

He obeyed, feeling a bit foolish. And now that his mind was clear, he wanted to kick himself. _Of course he could trust Marinette! Why had he ever doubted her?! He’d even offered to reveal himself before, and she’d turned him down! Geez, he got stupid when he panicked!_ A few moments later, he heard, “Hand out, kitty!” and stuck his hand out to feel her press a small mask into it.

Relief washed over him as he put it on. She truly was super-amazing. He poked his head out of the blanket, but kept it wrapped around himself.

“Thanks, princess,” he chirped, trying to get some the Chat Noir swagger back into his voice. She’d said he sounded funny earlier… it was probably the lack of magic.

“What are you still doing in that blanket?” she asked, looking amused.

“I’m a purrito.”

“Chat…”

“You might recognize my clothes,” he explained with a wry grin. _Gabriel_ exclusives… he’d be surprised if she _didn’t_ recognize them, actually. Especially with her attention to detail.

To his surprise, she groaned and hit her head with her hand. “Did you basically just tell me I know you as a civilian?” she asked, sounding exasperated again.

He swallowed. _Oops_.

“I umm… I can neither confirm nor deny that you and I could have, but maybe haven’t, though it’s not for certain, possibly have _not_ seen each other sometime throughout the day,” he said, giving her an innocent grin.

She gave him a deadpan stare. “So… yes, then.”

He licked his lips nervously. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to, princess,” he reminded her.

She shook her head at him and turned away to go back down the stairs. “Where’s your kwami? Let’s fill him up so you can get your dirty shoes off my bed.”

“My shoes aren’t—! Wait,” Adrien said, staring at her. “How do _you_ know what a kwami is?”

She went pale.

“Ah-Alya?!” she laughed nervously. “She—uh, posted an exclusive interview about Rena Rouge last month!”

“Really?” he said, raising an eyebrow. “I didn’t see that one. And I have the Ladyblog as my _homepage_.”

“Oh? Really? Maybe she forgot to post it, silly girl!” Marinette said, smiling a bit too widely to be believable. “She sometimes lets me look at stuff before she posts it, so that must be where I saw it, yeah!” She laughed again. Adrien scowled. _While it was (sorta) believable… why was she acting so nervous?_

“Well, I’ll go get you some cheese!” she said, taking off downstairs again.

_And how had she known Plagg liked cheese??_ His kwami floated up beside him, grinning. Adrien narrowed his eyes. Before he could say anything, Plagg made a motion like he was zipping his lips shut and dove after Marinette.

“Hey, Princess! You got any camembert?!”

And Adrien was left alone with his spinning thoughts.


	21. Hostage Situation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 28

**Hostage Situation**

_Running up and down the halls was getting old fast,_ Marinette thought wryly as she turned another corner. _Finally! A door she recognized!_ She quickly opened it and slipped inside, making sure to close it quietly behind her. Just a broom closet, but perfect for her needs.

Then, and only then, did she breathe a sigh of relief and check how Tikki was doing in her bag.

“Just a few more minutes,” Tikki promised, her mouth full of cookie. Marinette nodded and left her to it, sighing as she leaned against the wall.

What a day. Miss Bustier was out sick, and their substitute history teacher had turned out to be _very_ enthusiastic about the Greek Classics. And then, when she and Alya had informed him that they weren’t even on that subject right now (they were studying ancient China) and Chloe and Sabrina had started making fun of him for trying to push it through anyway… well…

_But **still** ,_ her mind raged, _to get akumatized over something so **little**?! He was supposed to be teaching them what they needed to learn, not what—okay, okay, Marinette, calm down. Think this through. He thought his dream of teaching his favorite subject was finally coming true, and instead he gets mocked by a bunch of teenagers. Yeah, that’d upset anyone—_

Maybe even enough to turn their whole school into a Labyrinth and start hunting students as the Minotaur.

‘COME OUT, COME OUT, LITTLE LADYBUG! I WANT TO SQUASH YOU AGAINST A WALL OF MY A-MAZE-ING LABYRINTH!!”

_Ehh, then again, if Ladybug managed to kick him in the face a couple of times before finding the akumatized object… well, it was only her job, right??_

“STOP HIDING!! I GROW TIRED OF THIS GAME!!!”

_And whose fault is that, buddy??_

“NO MORE HIDING! DOORS, DISINTEGRATE!!” the Minotaur roared. Marinette squeaked as the closet door vanished in front of her. She quickly backed into the closet further, hiding under a couple mops and a broom.

_Since when was changing the rules in the middle of the game fair???_ she wondered.

Something landed softly behind her, and two arms shot out, one pinning her arms to her sides and the other hand covering her mouth, muffling her scream. Marinette struggled, panic overtaking her.

“Shhh, shhh, it’s me,” a familiar voice whispered in her ear. She slumped in relief. _Chat Noir._ He slowly removed his hand from her mouth.

“I thought you were the akuma,” she hissed.

“I figured you would,” he chuckled lowly in return. “Are the other students safe?”

“As safe as they _can_ be in that prison he’s got going in what used to be the courtyard,” Marinette muttered.

“Damn.”

“Yeah.” She tried to turn and face him, and realized that he’d never truly released her from his grip. She was still pressed tightly against his body, back to front, and a low, happy purr had started in his chest.

“Chat,” she growled, remembering to keep her voice down.

“Yes, princess?” he asked innocently.

“Are you going to let me go?”

“Well, I don’t think you should move around a lot right now,” he said, his voice taking on a teasing tone. “He might find you easier.”

“Chat,” she said flatly, “that is a horrible excuse.”

He snickered in her ear. “I don’t know what you mean,” he breathed in her ear. “Surely, you aren’t suggesting something….”

“Don’t you have a monster to fight?”

“I’m waiting for Ladybug to get back. She had to go recharge her Miraculous,” he murmured, nosing her hair.

_She could get here a lot quicker if you’d just leave!!_ Marinette silently seethed when it became apparent that the incorrigible cat-boy wasn’t going to be leaving anytime soon. What a conundrum.

_I can’t leave until **I** come back because **you** won’t leave me until **I** get here._

_I hate paradoxes._

_This would all be solvable if I could just reveal myself to you… but, we’re going to have to get a bit more creative._

“I think I saw her heading back towards the center just before you grabbed me,” she said softly, inwardly wincing at the lie.

“How?” Chat snickered. “There was a door in the way. Princess, are you _nervous_ about being alone with me??”

“No!” Marinette squeaked, cursing when her voice broke.

“You _sure_?” he pressed, his nose trailing down to her neck.

Her breath caught. “W-what are you—?” She froze as she felt his teeth press against her neck. “Ch-chat??”

“I saw you with that Adrien boy earlier,” he murmured in her ear. “You looked so happy. Why haven’t you done anything about that yet?”

She huffed in frustration. “It’s not that easy, Chat!” she exclaimed, remembering at the last moment to keep her voice down.

“I think he likes you back,” Chat continued, his mouth moving back down to her neck. “What do you think he’ll say if someone else puts their mark on you?” His teeth went to her neck again and she felt a slight pull.

Marinette paled at the implications. “You wouldn’t.”

“You think he’ll be mad? Grossed out? Curious?”

“Chat—”

“Maybe he’ll ask you out himself when he finally realizes somebody else might scoop you up from underneath him,” Chat purred. Marinette felt the pressure on her neck increase and tried to ignore the heady rush as her pulse quickened.

“I don’t think—”

“CHAT NOIR, COME OUT AND FACE ME!” the Minotaur roared. “I HAVE YOUR PRECIOUS PARTNER TIED UP, AND I’LL CARVE HER INTO A DOZEN PIECES UNLESS YOU SURRENDER YOUR MIRACULOUS!!”

Chat cursed and released Marinette, moving to make for the opening. She quickly spun around and grabbed him around the waist.

“Don’t go,” she pleaded. “It’s a trap!”

“Hostage situations usually are,” Chat said wryly. He smiled down at her. “Don’t worry, Princess—”

“He’s lying!” she burst out with a gulp. “He doesn’t have Ladybug.”

He gave a short laugh. “I thought you said you just saw her going towards the center? It would make sense.”

“I was lying,” Marinette said quietly. He blinked down at her and she quickly buried her face in his chest. _Of all the ways he could find out… this was not the one she’d choose at all! But if it was a choice between her identity and an obvious trap…._

“He could still have her,” Chat pointed out.

She swallowed again, before tightening her hold on him. “He doesn’t,” she whispered.

Chat went still in her arms.

“And… how do you know that, princess?” he asked slowly. She slumped in his arms.

“You’re gonna make me say it, aren’t you,” she groaned.

“Yes,” he breathed. His hand slipped under her chin and he lifted her head to look at him. His eyes were shining with excitement and hope… and longing. “Please, say it. Tell me, Marinette.”

Even now, she could save herself. She could say that Ladybug had told her to stay here until she called to say the coast was clear, or she could wait until the Minotaur lost patience again, or say it was just a gut instinct, or that she’d overheard the monster saying he was going to make a trap…. _Oh God, it would be so easy! So simple to trick Chat and mislead him… and one could even argue it was the **right** thing to do, since they weren’t supposed to know each other’s identities…._

_Yes, she should simply lie—_

But another part of her was sick of all the lies. So tired of dancing around with half-truths and misdirection—and never quite able to look her partner in the eye, neither as Marinette nor Ladybug, because there was always the pervading feeling that _he should know_ … and she could tell that he’d probably already put the pieces together himself, he was just waiting for her to be ready….

But if he knew… if he _knew_ -knew, there’d be nowhere for her to hide. He’d _know_. And her friends and family could be put in danger, if Chat was ever captured or put under a spell again. And he certainly wouldn’t support her chasing after Adrien anymore, once he realized how much he stood to lose….

And even now, the hope was dimming in his eyes as she hesitated….

Chat cleared his throat and stepped away from her. “You know what, _don’t_ tell me,” he said cheerfully. “Right now, I have a monster to fight. I’ll see you tonight, okay, princess?”

She nodded, even as she hung her head.

**_Coward_** , she snarled at herself. _Some superhero you are! You don’t even trust your own partner!! If Chat is ever captured or put under a spell, your first priority should be saving him anyway! It’s not like your friends and family **won’t** be in danger if he’s turned to the dark side. Hell, the whole city would be in danger. And—_

_I want to,_ she thought, nearly sobbing. _I want to tell him. I want to be able to laugh and joke with him as Ladybug, like we do when it’s just him and Marinette. I want to be able to brainstorm battle plans when he comes over, or give in and kiss him goodbye after a battle. I want to learn who he is, and meet that amazing boy under the mask—God, I bet Alya would love him, they’re both such dorks—I want to be able to introduce him to my parents, and go on dates, and just enjoy this city that I protect… with him._

“Chat?” she choked out.

No reply.

She looked up to see that he’d already left.

_Coward. I’m such a coward._


	22. I Told You It Was a Bad Idea to Do That

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt 14
> 
> (And I'm sorry if I didn't respond to comments on the last chapter. I only had a little time to myself today, and I wanted to get this chapter out!)

**I Told You It Was a Bad Idea to Do That**

Ladybug dashed behind a building, her earrings already beeping again. _Blast_. Hawkmoth was getting _mean_. First the Minotaur, now a Ladybug-fanboy who’d decided to hunt her as a trophy. He was collecting her Lucky Charms as quickly as she could make them and crooning over each one before attaching it to himself. So gross.

Things were getting so bad, she’d had to call in their reinforcements. She glanced over. Rena Rouge and Queen Bee were certainly giving Bug-Catcher a run for his money, but he kept targeting _her_.

“Rena,” she hissed, motioning for the other superheroine to come closer, while Queen Bee attempted to sting the villain again. Rena Rouge bounded over to her. “I need you to make a copy of me and get him to chase it for a while,” she said, looking around to make sure they weren’t overheard.

“Sure, boss,” Rena chirped happily, spinning her flute. “Do you want me to make a bunch, so he gets confused?”

“No, just one,” Ladybug decided. “If he knows he’s being fooled, he may start shooting them instead of just trying to capture me. Just lead him on a good chase while I recharge. And protect the fake like it’s the real me.”

“Got it. _Mirage_!” Rena called. A false Ladybug appeared beside her and they both saluted the real one before diving back into Bug-Catcher’s line-of-sight.

Ladybug breathed a sigh of relief and went to go find a place to hide.

Moments later, she was listening to Tikki munch on her cookies, cringing as she watched Chat Noir get thrown into a bus, only to emerge, yowling and more furious than ever. He seemed to be taking this particular villain rather personally.

_Don’t worry, kitty,_ she thought, biting her lip. _I’ll be there with you in just a minute._

“LADYBUG IS _MINE_!!” Bug-Catcher screamed, tossing Chat away again. Marinette winced as he hit a car nearby.

“Gotta catch me first!” Rena’s fake Ladybug called, swinging away. The villain snarled and chased after her.

Marinette watched them go, noting that they were headed for the Eiffel Tower. She glanced back at where Chat had landed. Poor kitty. Good thing their suits were indestruct—

Her breath caught.

Chat had gotten up, and was staring at her in shock. _Her_. The un-transformed her.

Marinette froze, noting the way his eyes darted from the image of Ladybug leading the villain away, and then back to her.

_Oh._

_Oh, damn._

_He didn’t know about Rena’s illusion. He thought that was really Ladybug up there._

_But this was a good thing, right? Now he had proof that **she** wasn’t Ladybug, and it would put all of his suspicions to rest!_

_Right?!?!_

_…So why did her heart ache?_

 “Mari-Marinette?!”

_His voice had cracked. Why had his voice cracked?!_

“Chat,” she said, stepping towards him. “Chat, I can—”

“You need to get out of here!” he said, shaking himself out of it and reaching for his baton.

“But, Chat—”

_I should tell you. I should tell you!_

“Go, princess!”

And then he was gone. And she was left with the same empty feeling she’d had the past few times they’d met.

“This is a good thing, Marinette,” Tikki chirped, swallowing her cookie. “Chat Noir can’t know your identity. You know that.”

“I know,” Marinette said miserably. “But I—”

_I **want** him to._

“Are you really willing to risk it?” Tikki asked.

_If I wasn’t willing to risk things, I wouldn’t be a superhero,_ she thought wryly. But she didn’t dare say it out loud. _Think with your head. Think with your head,_ she reminded herself sternly. _First things first. Defeat the akuma. Then we deal with Chat._

“Ready, Tikki? Spots on!”

* * *

 

Chat Noir landed in his bedroom, his transformation falling away as he instantly started pacing. Plagg raised an eyebrow, and then shrugged and went to go get his camembert. Adrien was still pacing when Plagg settled down on the couch with his prize.

“You know,” the kwami said casually. “I’m surprised you aren’t over at your girlfriend’s.”

“She’s not my girlfriend. We’ve been over this,” Adrien muttered, not stopping.

“And you didn’t even stick around for your fist-bump with Ladybug.”

That got him to pause. “She was busy with the other superheroes.”

“Uh huh.”

“I panicked!” Adrien exclaimed, running his hands through his hair. “I was so sure—so _sure_ I was right….”

“If you’re that upset about your princess, why don’t you go talk to her?” Plagg suggested, gulping down another wedge of cheese.

“And tell her _what_?” Adrien asked. “That I thought she was Ladybug and I’m really disappointed she’s not?!”

“Are you?” Plagg asked, studying his cheese.

“Am I what?” Adrien asked, finally coming to a stand-still.

“Disappointed.”

“Of course I am!” Adrien cried. “I thought—”

“She’s still your friend though, isn’t she?” Plagg pressed.

“Of course she is!”

“And don’t you think she’d be a little hurt if she found out that you were avoiding her because she turned out to _not_ be the love of your life?” Plagg grinned at his bearer. _Oh, how he loved playing Devil’s Advocate…._

“I just…,” Adrien trailed off, thinking about it. “You think I should still go, then?”

Plagg laughed. “It is safe, warm, and dry, with plenty of treats, toys, and napping areas,” he said, rolling his eyes. “The cat in me is _legally_ _obligated_ to tell you to go, kid.”

That coaxed a smile out of the blond. _It was true. He’d made a place for himself there, long before he’d started suspecting Marinette was a superhero. And…._

_I want to see her. I don’t even want to **think** about Ladybug right now._

“Plagg,” he called. “Let’s go home. Claws out!”

* * *

 

Marinette was frantically pacing in her room. When Chat had left without even giving her their usual “pound it,” she thought she’d have to race him to the bakery. Instead, he was nowhere in sight.

Part of her wanted to leave again and reclaim those Miraculouses, but really, Chloé and Alya had proven themselves trustworthy. And it was getting dangerous to go to Master Fu’s in the middle of every hard battle, just to get backup. She’d explain it to him later. Maybe he’d even give Nino his to keep as well.

Her heart jumped when she heard a familiar knock on the hatch above.

“Lucy, I’m home!” Chat called, jumping down.

Marinette laughed, relieved that he seemed to be his old self again. “Lucy?!” she said in mock anger. “How many princesses do you _have_ , cat boy?”

“Ha ha, it’s a movie quote.”

“I know,” she said, rolling her eyes and giving him a hug. She pulled away enough to look at him. “Look, about earlier….”

“Nope, we are _not_ talking about work right now,” he said, putting a finger against her lips.

“But—”

“I smell… cinnamon,” he said, licking his lips. “And superheroing is hungry work, princess! Got any cookies for a poor, starving cat?”

Marinette sighed and smiled. “Maman made a whole plate with your name on it,” she said.

“Yes!” Chat fist-pumped, letting her go to skip down the stairs.

She opened her mouth to continue from earlier, then closed it. _If he didn’t wanna talk about it…._

“Bring me back something to drink!” she called after him. He waved to show he’d heard her, his head already disappearing beneath her trapdoor. Sighing, she threw herself into her computer chair.

“Marinette…,” Tikki called softly from her corner, her glowering expression saying exactly what she thought about the conversation her bearer wanted to have. Marinette looked away.

“So, Mari,” Chat drawled as he came back up the stairs, balancing a pair of drinks and a plate of cookies. “What are the chances that you’ll let me beat you in Ultimate Mecha Strike III?”

She snorted. “Nil, pussy cat. You wanna beat me, you have to earn it.”

“What if I bribe you with _cookies_?” He waved the plate under her nose. “Mmm, snickerdoodles….”

“I had some earlier.” She looked up at him and bit her lip. “Chat—”

“You’ve got this serious expression on your face, princess,” he said, putting the snacks down on the desk and leaning in close to her personal space. “We need to do something about that.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but instead, a squeal came out when he started to tickle her.

“Who’s the best at Ultimate Mecha Strike III?” he teased, tickling her mercilessly as she tried to get away from him. “Who? WHO?!”

“ _I_ am, you furry cheater!” she exclaimed, finally kicking him off. He grinned at her and sauntered back over, taking a cookie from the plate and munching on it.

“Maybe,” he acknowledged. “But your mom tells me you’re behind on your design project for Gabriel Agreste’s new contest.”

Marinette groaned at the reminder.

“So you’re gonna have to just sit there and give me pointers while you work,” he said, cheekily turning on her computer. “And no talking about anything serious. I’ll lose my concentration.”

She glowered at him while he pulled up another chair and started the game.

_Fine. **After**. She would talk to him after_, she decided, pulling out her project.

* * *

 

Hours later, it was only after he’d left that she realized she’d forgotten.

But her designs were complete, her cheeks hurt from smiling so much, and Tikki was happy her secret was safe.

_Did she have to tell him? Was it really necessary?_ she wondered. _Especially since Chat seemed to want to keep things the way they were?_

The thought kept her up late that night.


	23. Chat vs. Mari

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt 30

**Chat vs. Mari**

Chat Noir licked his lips and grinned as he leapt up to the top of the Trocadero. From his vantage point he could see just about every inch of the grounds below.

She had to be around here somewhere.

It had all started when he’d flopped down on her chaise and complained of boredom. Make no mistake, he loved getting new teammates and all, but now! Now, Rena Rouge and Queen Bee had made a little competition out of who could bring in the most criminals at night. Safe to say, all the would-be petty-thieves and mischief-makers were hiding under their beds, wetting their pants.

Which was great! Yay, Paris was safe and sound and… he was oh, so bored. Ladybug didn’t want to play their game, and the other two superheroines had declared the competition “girls only.”

Not that he was pouting or anything.

Cause he wasn’t.

Really.

They were just jealous of his skills. That was all.

But Marinette had simply grinned at him and suggested that maybe he make up his _own_ kind of game. And since she needed to make some costumes for that upcoming design project of hers… well, she offered to help.

Which led to what was quickly becoming Chat’s favorite new game:

Capture the Princess.

Each night, Marinette would wear a new costume that she’d made for her project, trying to evade the superhero hunting her. So far, he’d caught her dressed up as a Musketeer (oh, that one had been fun! She’d even challenged him to a duel once he’d caught her), an Egyptian (that girl new how to work the kohl), an actual princess (poofy dress and all!), and a secret agent in a three-piece suit and sunglasses (and hot damn, did she pull off the suit!)

He snickered as he scanned the area again. What would she be wearing tonight? She always gave him a clue… tonight’s message was simply: “You won’t Catch me in a tight spot tonight, kitty! I won’t go easy on you at the Trocadero!”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of metal down below, followed by a fluttering of black. He immediately focused on it, but the figure ran around a corner before he could get a better look.

_Gotcha, princess!_

Extending his baton, he leapt after her, bounding across the rooftop in reckless abandon, allowing his suit to absorb the impact as he raced after his prey.

_What the heck was she wearing?_ he wondered as she flung herself around another corner in an effort to lose him. No matter. He was bigger, faster, and had magic on his side.

With a single bound, he ricocheted himself off the wall, around the corner, and down, to pounce on her and pin her against the nearest wall.

“Well, well, well, look what I cau— _oh, that is so not fair_ ,” he whispered, finally getting a good look at her outfit.

“What’s the matter, kitty?” Marinette smirked coyly. “See something you like?”

Him. She was dressed like _him_.

Ears, tail, bell— _a skin-tight leather suit_ —he whimpered, unable to draw his eyes away from the beautiful sight in front of him.

“You’re trying to kill me,” he rasped out, his mouth having gone dry the moment he saw her thigh-high boots.

“I don’t know what you mean,” she said lightly, playing with her tail as though she didn’t have a care in the world. “I was _trying_ to get away from the big, bad superhero chasing me, so I could commit some heinous crimes against Paris. Maybe I’ll start with a burglary? Or is a cat-burgler too cliché?”

Chat tried to speak, tried to joke right back at her, but he was pretty sure his brain had been fried. And Marinette batting playfully at his bell was _not helping_ , _dammit_. He closed his eyes, determined to focus.

“Cat got your tongue?”

He felt her move away, and opened his eyes to see that she’d slipped out of his grasp, winking at him. She even had the nerve to give him his own two-fingered salute. “You seem to be having some personal difficulties, Monsieur Noir. I’ll leave you to deal with them.”

“Oh, I’m gonna _deal with them_ , all right,” he growled, stalking towards her.

“Gotta catch me first!” she giggled, taking off again.

Even without her belt-tail flittering behind her, taunting him, his cat instincts would never have let her get too far. But he was pretty sure a real burglar wasn’t supposed to shriek and laugh with delight when they were caught.

No matter. He had other games in mind.

 


	24. Sin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt 27

**Sin**

Marinette stared Chat Noir down from across the table in the kitchen. Her parents had already gone to bed (such is the life of a baker), which was all for the best, because this was Serious Business.

It was getting down to the wire here, and people were starting to sweat.

Chat placed another marshmallow in his mouth. “Thuh-beh Buh-neh,” he said, wiping a bit of drool from his cheek.

She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

He held his hands out, as if to say, “What? It counts!”

“Chubbeh Bunneh,” he tried again.

Marinette sighed. She supposed she’d have to accept that. Chat clapped his hands, cheering around his mouthful, clearly impressed with himself. She took a deep breath in through her nose, and slowly reached for another marshmallow. She was nearing her limit, and she knew it.

It barely fit inside her mouth.

She sucked in another breath, preparing to say the required words, and somehow forgot to _only_ breathe in from her nose. She choked, quickly bringing a hand up to her mouth as she ran for the sink. There, and only there, did she let herself spit out the gross concoction that had been in her mouth.

“Ugh,” she muttered, massaging her jaw. “That is way too much sugar.”

“AH UN!! AH UN!!” Chat was yelling, dancing around the kitchen.

Marinette quickly shushed him. “My parents are asleep!” she hissed. He shut up, covering his mouth as he dashed over to her. Marinette looked away as he spit out his own marshmallow lump.

“Gross, Chat!”

“It’s no worse than yours,” he pointed out, giving her a disgusted face as he tasted the inside of his mouth.

“No pastries tonight, I think,” Marinette said, grabbing a cup so they could get some water to wash the sugar out of their mouths.

“No, thank you,” Chat said, shuddering. “Ugh, I can’t believe I’m turning down your father’s pastries!”

“I think Papa will understand,” she assured him. “Besides, we just destroyed a whole bag of marshmallows, so we don’t deserve any treats.”

“And gluttony is a sin,” he added, nodding sagely as he accepted the glass of water from her.

“So is greed,” she pointed out.

He nodded again. “And as a superhero and example to citizens everywhere, I must be pious,” he said, straightening his back and putting his nose in the air.

Marinette snorted. “You know what else is a sin? _Pride_ ,” she said, smirking.

Chat dropped his pretentious act and gasped at her dramatically. “I’ll have you know, princess; I am a very _humble_ cat.”

“Who was the one dancing around, screaming ‘I won’ a few seconds ago?”

“I dunno,” he said, doing his best to look innocent. “Must’ve been some other cat. Probably pretty handsome too, if you’re mistaking him for me. _Jealousy’s_ a sin too, princess.”

“You, sir, are the very _definition_ of vanity!” Marinette laughed, giving him a joking punch on the arm.

“Ow! And you’re _wrath_!” he pouted, rubbing his arm.

Marinette rolled her eyes, not falling for it. She hadn’t hit him that hard.

“Well, since we’re catching up on all of the sins, why don’t we succumb to _sloth_ and start another game of Ultimate Mecha Strike III?” she suggested, heading for the couch.

“Oh, lead me not into temptation, fair maiden,” Chat said, following her. She turned back to make a face at him and saw him smirking. “I can find the way myself.”

“I’ll bet you can,” she drawled, handing him a controller. To her surprise, instead of grabbing the controller, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer.

“You know, we missed one,” he said softly, his voice husky. Marinette felt her stomach drop. She didn’t have to look up to know that he was waaay too close.

“One what?” she managed to squeak, trying hard not to look at him.

“A sin.”

_I know that, dammit. I was trying to avoid it at all costs!_ she seethed inside. Her lips were suddenly very dry and she licked them, still tasting the sugar from before with the marshmallows. _What would it be like, to kiss him now? Would he still taste like sugar too? Would he be sticky—nope, you stop that right now, Dupain-Cheng! You—WHAT IS HE DOING??_

“A _deadly_ sin,” he murmured, almost directly into her ear.

Chat had moved closer during her internal meltdown. He was now much closer than he ever needed to be… and she had a feeling she knew why. It was giving her butterflies in her stomach. Her face felt like it was on fire. And dammit—he was now lifting her chin up with a single claw, his face getting closer, inch by inch.

And then his tongue darted out and licked her cheek.

Marinette yelped and jumped away from him, her hand coming up to the place he’d licked as she stared at him in disbelief. He snickered, grabbing the controller she’d dropped in her panic.

“You had some marshmallow on your cheek,” he said, flopping down on the couch like he hadn’t just almost-seduced her.

_Oh, that was so not fair! He’d known exactly what he was doing! He looked far too pleased with himself!!_

“What’s the matter, Mari?” he teased. “Surely, you aren’t succumbing to one of those sins now, are you?” He tsked at her.

She grabbed a pillow off the couch and threw it at his head.


	25. Touch Starved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt 12

**Touch-Starved**

_“PLAYER 1 WINS!!”_

Marinette smiled in satisfaction, while Chat groaned and flopped against the couch.

“Bad luck, kitty?” she said coyly. He glared at her. He’d been trying to beat her on Ultimate Mecha Strike III for days now. First, he’d said that he’d stayed up too late. Then, he was hungry and distracted by his rumbling stomach. Then her computer monitor was too small. Well now, just hours after school, full of snacks and downstairs on the big screen, he was running out of excuses.

“My claw slipped.”

“Uh huh. And last time your _finger_ slipped,” she reminded him. “Which is why you insisted on keeping the suit on this time.”

“Yeah, well….” He pouted. Then he sighed in defeat. “At least I know the future Mrs. Noir is unbeatable at gaming.”

Marinette snorted. “I am _not_ the future Mrs. Noir. Marinette Noir? That sounds stupid!”

“Hey!” Chat protested. Then he gave her a teasing grin. “Oh, I see. _You_ prefer Adrien Dupain-Che—” He caught himself too late. Fortunately, Marinette was too busy hitting him with a pillow to see his face go white.

“No teasing me about my crush!”

“Right, right,” he laughed, remembering to breathe. “Your crush.”

_Oh, that had been too close…. He had to be more careful!!_

Just then, Sabine came in, further distracting them.

“Mo-om,” Chat whined, deciding to take full advantage of it. “Marinette’s refusing to take my last name when we’re married!”

“You tattle tale!” Marinette gasped. She hit him again with the pillow.

“And now she’s abusing me!”

“Stop torturing the cat, dear,” Sabine said, smiling but not looking up from where she’d started dinner. Chat gave his ‘fiancée’ a triumphant smirk and Marinette stuck her tongue out at him.

“And come on, Marinette Noir doesn’t sound _that_ bad, does it?” Chat asked, giving Sabine his best pouty eyes.

“Hmm, it’s not awful,” Maman agreed. “But I think Tom has his hopes set on Chat Dupain. He wanted to make you an apprentice after all this business with Hawkmoth is done. You know, to keep the shop in the family. He’s even planning on changing the bakery’s logo to a sleeping cat.”

Chat stared at her, his jaw dropped. Marinette reached over and tapped it shut with her finger, rolling her eyes.

“I think we should let _Chat_ decide what he wants to do for a career, mama,” she said. “And don’t _I_ get a say in my own wedding?!”

“Of course, dear. Spring or winter?”

Marinette glowered at her mother, her cheeks puffing up angrily.

“Do you… mean it?” Chat asked quietly.

Sabine blinked at the hesitance in his voice. “Well, no. If you two want a fall wedding—”

“No, I mean… you still want me to come back… after?”

“Of course we do!” Marinette exclaimed, staring at him.

“What did you think we were going to do, Chat? Turn you away as soon as Hawkmoth was defeated?” Sabine laughed.

Chat looked away. _He didn’t know. He’d honestly never thought about this place still being here for him when everything was said and done. He was so used to being shoved into his room and left alone as soon as he wasn’t needed anymore, he’d kinda figured—_

“Marinette, dear, would you please beat some sense into that silly cat?” Sabine said.

“Yes, maman!”

And then he was relentlessly attacked by the pillow again. He yowled and covered his face with his arms, right up until he felt Marinette grab his bell and haul him close. He gulped.

“Now, you listen to me, Chat Noir,” she growled. “You are _family_. Which means you belong here, even _after_ you’ve grown tired of us and want to escape. We are here for you, come Hell, high water, or Hawkmoth and his stupid butterflies. And don’t you even _think_ —”

She was cut off when he grabbed her and hugged her, hard. _Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry,_ he thought to himself, feeling the tears spill over into Marinette’s hair anyway. A loud purr escaped him when her hand came up to rub his cat ears.

“Silly minou,” she murmured.

“Sorry,” he gasped out. _He should know better! This was hardly the first time they’d told him he was welcome, after all! He should’ve never doubted them!_

“Marinette, why don’t you take that touch-starved kitty upstairs while I finish making supper,” Sabine said, shaking her head at them.

“Maman,” Marinette groaned. “You make it sound like we’re doing something bad!”

“Well, aren’t you?” Sabine teased.

“No!”

“Mm hmm. And I’m supposed to believe that you two did nothing more than play ‘Chubby Bunny’ the other night?”

“WE DID!” they both protested, their faces going red.

“All right, all right,” Sabine laughed. “Then don’t get up to too many shenanigans up there, you hear?”

Groaning and blushing, they did as they were told, hearing Sabine chuckle as they went up the stairs.

“Well, that was embarrassing,” Chat said, stretching a bit and hearing Marinette close the door behind them. “Maybe I should just go home….”

“Chat, come here,” Marinette said, tugging him backwards down onto the chaise with her. Caught off-balance, he landed in her lap. He was further surprised when she simply shifted and curled her arms around him, pulling him into a hug and stroking his hair as she cuddled him.

He smiled against her shoulder. “I’m okay, princess.”

“Mm hmm.”

He gave a small laugh and pushed away to talk to her face-to-face, but she caught him and pressed her lips to his in a gentle kiss. He felt his whole body relax and his eyes closed automatically.

“You’re giving them more fuel to taunt us with,” he murmured against her lips.

“No, I’m not.” She kissed him again.

Slow. Gentle. Comforting. There was nothing passionate about her kisses and he knew it. He sighed in happiness as he kissed her back, making sure to end it the moment she started to draw away.

Her big blue eyes shone up at him in the dim light of her room. He smiled as a deep, rumbling purr started in his chest when he bent down to give her another quick peck.

“We’re getting better at this,” he said.

“Kissing?”

“Mmm,” he said, remembering bumped noses and awkward, stammering apologies.

“Agreed,” she giggled.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU SENT THEM UPSTAIRS TO BE ALONE FOR AWHILE?!” Tom’s voice shouted from down below.

“Uh oh,” Chat murmured, shifting away. He tried not to be too pleased when Marinette made disappointed sounds.

“NO KITTENS UNTIL AFTER THE WEDDING, YOU TWO!”

Marinette facepalmed.

“I’d better go if I want to save my tail,” Chat grinned, leaning over and giving her a kiss goodbye. “He’ll be threatening to neuter me here soon.” She clung to him.

“You’re coming back, right?” she pressed, looking at him with a new hardness in her eyes.

He couldn’t resist.

He bent down as kissed her, far more passionately than anything else they’d done, reveling in her softness and the sweetness of her scent.

“You just fed a touch-starved kitten, princess,” he purred, pressing their foreheads together. “You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.”

He did his best to ignore her dazed expression as he took off, leaping out of her room and into the coolness of the night.

 


	26. Midnight Serenades

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, not sorry for this. The plot bunnies wouldn’t let it go. If you’re just here for laughs, warning: there be feels here and a bit of a songfic. (Though I didn’t post all the lyrics.) Why? Because I'm a sap.
> 
> For those wondering: Yes, this is prompt 26 on the calendar. And yes, I did post it as its own story on ff.net, but this version is slightly different.

**Midnight Serenades**

Chat Noir leapt down into Marinette’s room and abruptly stopped short at the sight and sounds before him.

“Cheesy American pop?” he laughed, watching Marinette dance and twirl around her dress form, singing along to a song that had been popular a few years ago.

“Hush, you,” she grinned back, barely even pausing in her dancing.

Chat belatedly noticed that she was also pinning fabric to the dress form while she danced and sang. Amused, he simply watched her until the song ended. Then he clapped, cheering and demanding an encore. Marinette laughed, giving him an exaggerated bow. Just then, the next song came on and Chat audibly gasped in delight.

It was “Macho Man” by the Village People.

“Oh, no,” Marinette groaned, stepping over to her desk to change the song.

“Oh, _yes_!” Chat sprang forward and got there first. He quickly grabbed her player and held it above his head, just as the lyrics started.

“’Body-body!’” he sang along, playing keep-away while Marinette tried to wrestle the stereo away from him, “’wanna _feel_ my body, baby?’” He grinned at her teasingly.

“Oh. My. God. Stop,” she growled, trying hard not to laugh, “ _you_ do not need any encouragement!!”

“’It’s too much, my body!!’”

Marinette facepalmed.

“’Check it out, my body!’” Chat continued to sing shamelessly, dancing (admittedly-badly) while Marinette covered her face with her hands, trying to stop herself from laughing.

“If I let you sing the next song, will you turn this one off?!” she finally cried.

Chat, who had been considering twerking for the second verse, pondered her deal.

“What’s the next song?” he finally asked.

“I dunno. It’s on random.”

“Oooo, taking a chance against the bad luck of Chat Noir?” he whistled at her daring, even as his rubbed his hands together with glee. “Done! But _you_ have to sing with me!”

“Ugh, fine,” Marinette said, rolling her eyes.

Chat pushed the NEXT button.

“’I’m too sexy for my love, too sexy for my love, love’s going to leave me!’”

“My _jam_!” he cheered, starting to dance. “’I’m too sexy for my shirt…,’” he sang, pulling on his bell suggestively. Marinette quickly grabbed her player and jabbed her finger down on the NEXT button. Chat pouted, but was partially relieved. He might’ve revealed himself if they got to the part that sang “I’m a model….” He listened eagerly for the next one.

And started cackling as soon as the song came on. Marinette swore and banged her head against his chest.

“No, please no!” she begged.

But Chat was already singing “Sexyback” by Justin Timberlake. Snickering, he put the player back down on her desk and grabbed Marinette, dancing with her as he sang along.

“C’mon, princess,” he laughed gleefully, “there’s even a girl part!”

“There is no way in Hell I am calling you a ‘dirty babe,’” Marinette deadpanned.

“That’s the part you have a problem with?” he asked, sounding surprised. “Not the _shackles_?! Why, princess!!” He gasped dramatically.

“Next, please!”

“Fine, but you gotta promise to sing the next one! The whole song! No matter what it is!!”

“Fine, geez! I promise! Just turn this one off!!”

Chat Noir let her go to push the button again, gleefully anticipating the next song. If his luck held, it would be even worse….

He froze when he heard the first few notes, his mood immediately dropping. In front of him, Marinette paled.

Chat knew this song. He knew it by heart. He’d sung it on repeat on some of his darker, lonelier nights. Part of him wanted to wonder why she had it on her playlist as well, but… he already knew the answer. He stepped back over to Marinette and pulled her into a dancing position.

“First verse is mine,” he said, starting his part with a sad smile.

“’See, I can't wake up, I'm living a nightmare that keeps playing over again,’” he sang. “’Locked in a room, so hung up on you, and you're cool with just being friends….’”

He felt Marinette’s hand unconsciously grip his own tighter.

_This was a bad idea,_ he thought as he automatically continued to sing his verse. _We need to stop. There’s no reason for us to go through this. We’ve cried to each other about who we love already._

_I know who she wants. She knows who I want. There’s no way for us to win this game. Not unless… Well, I can give her who she wants._

_If I give up on Ladybug._

_If I give up on all my hopes and dreams._

_If I give up on my lady ever feeling the same way I do._

“’Why don't you love me?’” he sang louder into the night, hoping beyond hope that somewhere, somehow, Ladybug could hear these words that came from his heart. “Touch me? Tell me I'm your everything, the air you breathe in—why don't you love me? Baby? Open up your heart tonight, 'cause I could be all that you need. Ohhhhhhh… Why don't you love me?’”

“’Why don’t you love me?’” His voice faltered a bit when he realized what was next. The second verse. Marinette’s turn to sing. And he knew exactly who she’d be singing to in her heart…

_Curse his bad luck. Why had he agreed to sing this song again?!_

“’See, I'm just too scared, to tell you the truth, ‘cause my heart it can't take any more,” Marinette sang softly, trembling in his arms. “Broken and bruised, longing for you, and I don't know what I'm waiting for.”

Chat clutched her tighter as he felt her tears start to fall on the front of his suit.

“’Left on the sidelines. Stuck at a red light. Waiting for my time.’”

_No, dammit! We were happy! Why’d I have to go and screw it up by insisting we sing this song together?! Marinette was happy! She was laughing and dancing around her room before I came in here!!_

“’So just tell me…. Why don't you love me?’” Marinette was practically sobbing the lyrics at this point. Chat was about to pull away and tell her they could sing something else, but she stubbornly wrapped her arms around his neck and sang louder, seemingly determined to get through this.

“’Touch me,’” she sang, “’tell me I'm your everything, the air you breathe in. Why don't you love me? Baby?! Open up your heart tonight, 'cause I could be all that you need….’”

Her voice faltered again as she stood there, very nearly shaking in his arms. Once again, he had to admire her bravery. Trying to face your own feelings—especially unrequited love—was hard. He knew that from personal experience.

“’Why don’t you give me a reason?’” Her voice broke as she sang softly, sounding like she was talking directly to the part of him that was Adrien.

Chat smiled and imagined Ladybug.

“’Please tell me the truth,’” he sang, resting his cheek on Marinette’s head _._

_I know what you’re going through,_ he thought. _I know it. I hate it. And I wish there was another way…._

“’You know that I'll keep believing,’” her hand reached up to card through his hair and he echoed her in the song automatically.

“’Till I'm with you…’”

At this point, they were really just hugging and swaying slightly, not even enough to be considered a dance. Chat didn’t care. He loved these moments with her. When she offered him what little strength she could, even though she had her own heart break to deal with.

_God, he loved her._

“’Why don't you love me?’” he sang softly, pulling back just enough to look at her.

She smiled back at him. “’Kiss me,’” she sang, closing her eyes as he kissed her forehead just in time to sing his next part.

“’I can feel your heart tonight; it's killing me, so—

“’Why don't you love me?’” They sang together on the last chorus, their voices growing in strength as they clung to each other. Chat felt his own smile grow when Marinette’s tears were replaced with a sad smile.

Then, to his delight, she laid her head on his shoulder as they continued to sing and sway to the song. He pulled her close, wishing for all the world that she was his. His to hold. His to kiss the tears away. His to laugh and dance with, even though they knew they were being silly. His to come home to, when his house grew too cold and lonely.

Then he nearly swore at himself.

_She already was._

_They already did those things._

They hung out alone together. He came here whenever he could, just to get away from the emptiness of his room. They danced and laughed and played and knew each other better than any of their other friends. They hugged and cuddled. They’d even kissed, each of them claiming they simply wanted to know what it felt like. (Which didn’t explain the extra kisses afterwards, but if she wasn’t gonna say anything, neither was he.)

_You stupid cat,_ he thought, even as he continued to sing to her. _She’s yours. Your girlfriend, in every way but in name. And she’d gladly be your **official** girlfriend if you’d just freaking let her! So, why…?_

_Ladybug._

He’d have to give up on Ladybug.

He nearly snorted. He’d have to give up on a woman who’d already admitted she was in love with someone else. _Gee, what a hardship…_

_And,_ he belatedly realized, _he hadn’t even been thinking of her this whole time._ During the song he usually reserved for pouting about his love for Ladybug, he’d been thinking of Marinette instead.

“’…Open up your heart tonight, 'cause I could be all that you need….’”

The words of the song brought him back out of his thoughts, and he found himself stroking Marinette’s cheek with his thumb. _All that I need,_ he thought. _She’s been here all along…._

“’Why don't you love me?’” the song sang, fading fast.

_But I do,_ he thought back. He couldn’t deny it. And there was a simple, easy, _astoundingly-terrifying_ way to prove it and make her love him as much as he loved her. She'd be completely his.

His breath caught as he considered it.

Marinette. _His_. –Again, his heart skipped a beat.

He could come here as a civilian, instead of hiding as a superhero.

He could talk to her in class like they did here, instead of being intensely-awkward, stuttering and begging their best friends with their eyes to _just take me away already…._ Because, no matter how many times they assured themselves that they’d still be friends, he understood it was hard for her to be around him when Adrien had practically rejected her.

But this, _this_ was another chance.

He could hold her. Touch her. Kiss her, if she’d let him!

His mouth went dry, and he clutched Marinette to him as his whole body _ached_.

_Yes._

_YES!_

_Yes, please!!_

_I want her so badly—oh God, is she gonna hate me??—Ladybug’s gonna kill me—no, if I explain it right, she’ll understand. Marinette’s trustworthy._

_Marinette’s the one who’s gonna kill me,_ he thought frantically, his mind going a mile a minute. _All those times she’s talked to me about Adrien. About her crush on Adrien! And I tried to let her down gently, I really did… and now, I have the nerve to—focus! Focus, Chat! Just tell her the truth. Tell her everything. She’ll understand. She’s amazing like that._

_OH GOD, HOW LONG HAVE WE JUST BEEN STANDING HERE LIKE THIS? The song’s over—what the heck is even playing now?_

His cat ears twitched as he listened for a moment.

“’…I found a girl, beautiful and sweet. I never knew you were the someone waiting for me…’”

“Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. Chat’s mouth twisted into a smile. How… well, utterly _perfect_. He took a deep breath.

“Princess, there’s something—”

“Chat, I have to tell you—”

He looked down at Marinette in surprise. She’d started talking at the same moment he had. He gave a little laugh.

“Go ahead,” he said. To his surprise, she looked away, blushing.

“Maybe you should go first,” she said nervously. “Mine’s kind of important. And shocking.”

Chat laughed again. “So is mine. Ladies first!” He stepped away from her and gave her a little bow.

She looked like she wanted to argue for a moment, but then shook her head and steeled herself, taking a deep breath.

“I—um… I just wanted you to know,” Marinette said nervously, “we’ve been together for a long time—well, not together-together, but just as friends! Or maybe more than friends, I dunno—I dunno how you feel about all of that, or me, or—UGH!!”

Chat smiled at her as she visibly shook herself out of it and took another deep breath, obviously trying to calm herself down.

“I love you,” she said, looking him in the eye and squaring her jaw. “Like, _love you,_ love you.” He felt his face break into a smile as giddiness rushed through him.

“I know I shouldn’t,” she continued, looking nervous again, “and I know this is gonna come as a big shock and all, but I—I _love_ you,” her voice cracked and she looked down. “It just kinda snuck up on me! I didn’t mean for it to happen, but I do! And I want to be with you! …And I know you love Ladybug—”

“Marinette—” he began.

“No, please, for the love of God, let me finish!” she cried, shaking her head. “Because this—oh, please, oh _please_ , if anything else, don’t hate me!—I didn’t do it out of spite or anything, it just _happened_ , and I—oh, damn it, _Tikki, spots on!!”_

Chat yelped and stepped back, staring at her in disbelief as a flash of pink enveloped Marinette, leaving his beloved, spotted partner in her wake.

Ladybug looked up at him nervously, swallowing.

“Please say something,” she whimpered. “I had a whole speech planned, but I just forgot it all.”

“You-you’re…,” Chat stammered. He swallowed, trying to make some sense of his spinning brain.

“I’m sorry,” Ladybug said weakly. “I never meant to lead you on or anything—”

“No, no, of course not!” Chat said. He’d never have thought that about her!

“And I’m sorry that I’m the one you spilled all your secrets about Ladybug to. No judgement from me, I swear!”

Chat laughed weakly, but let it get stronger and stronger as the whole irony of their situation crashed down around him. _She was slowly listing off every excuse and apology he’d thought **he’d** have to make to **her**!!_

“I love you and I want to be with you—and I understand if you need to be angry at me for a while, I really do,” she babbled on. “I know our identities are supposed to be a secret—and Tikki’s gonna kill me, by the way—but I figured, out of everyone who could possibly find out my secret identity, you’re definitely the most trustworthy—but you have to promise to make an extra effort not to get akumatized, you hear me??”

Chat Noir burst out laughing at that.

“Chat, I’m trying to be serious here,” Ladybug grumbled.

“I know, I know,” Chat laughed. “I’m just… processing all of it.” _This was incredible. But, wait._ He licked his lips.

“What about Adrien?” he asked nervously, trying to sound casual.

Ladybug face drooped into true sadness. “I lost him,” she whispered, holding her hands to her heart. “To be honest, I never had him to begin with. It was a stupid celebrity crush. If I couldn’t even _talk_ to him… well, I had no right to ask him to have a relationship with me. He’s still wonderful, and perfect, and I’m sure he’ll find someone just as perfect for himself… but, yeah. It won’t be me. Nino says he’s got a major crush on a secret-somebody anyway.

“It hurts, but,” she looked up at her partner again, “then I realized that if I did start going out with him, I’d probably have to stop seeing you so much. (No guy’s gonna want his girlfriend being visited by a superhero every night, after all.) And _that_ hurt even worse. I well-and-truly fell in love with you, Chat. So... if you still want me, here I am!” She said cheerfully, holding her arms open.

Chat could only stare at her, dumb-struck by his own good luck.

“Please say something, kitty,” Ladybug said meekly, caving in on herself after a moment. “You’re being so quiet, it’s freaking me out.”

The uncertainly on her face broke Chat out of his reverie and he was finally able to move, walking right up to her and pulling her into a hug.

“Oh, my lady,” he sighed, feeling her relax in his embrace. “I’m just surprised, that’s all.”

“I know, I know, it’s a lot to take in—”

“You had the same idea I had.”

He felt Ladybug freeze in his arms. “Wha—?” she managed to say.

He chuckled in anticipation.

_“Plagg, claws in!”_

“Chat! What are you—AAAAAAAHHHHHHEEEEEEEIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!” she shrieked, flying away from him, only to trip over her chaise. Adrien watched in horror as the love of his life tumbled head-over-heels to land on the floor behind the little couch.

“Oh my—Ladybug, are you alright?!” he cried, desperately trying not to laugh.

Ladybug peeked up at him from behind the chaise, her eyes wide.

“You-you-you’re—”

“Amazing? Spectacular?” he teased, grinning at her winningly. “Truly the cat’s meow?”

“Chat?!?!”

“Hi,” he said simply, waving a bit. Beside him, Plagg snorted in laughter before disappearing, probably to find some cheese. Adrien bit his lip, suddenly nervous about this whole thing again. “So, about that whole… I’m-sorry-I-never-meant-to-lead-you-on-or-anything-and-please-don’t-hate-me-because-I-honestly-didn’t-mean-to-hurt-you-I-just-kinda-fell-in-love-with-you-by-accident thing? Yeah, um, ditto?”

He looked down at Ladybug. She was gaping at him.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I see what you meant when you said you forgot your speech,” he said, feeling awkward. “That sounded a whole lot better in my head.”

“Adrien?!”

“Yup, it’s me,” he said sheepishly. “I guess fate has a weird sense of irony, huh? Either that or Master Fu is moonlighting as a matchmaker.”

Ladybug squeaked again and ducked her head under the chaise.

“Oh my God, oh my God, this isn’t happening, this can’t be happening!” she muttered to herself. “All those times you—actually this kinda makes a lot of sense…. Aww, Hell! Adrien, I just got over you!!” she exclaimed.

“Only to fall in love with me again,” he agreed, nodding solemnly. “Believe me, I get it. Completely.”

Ladybug groaned and whimpered as she rubbed her face against her chaise cushion.

“Do you want me to put the mask back on?” Adrien asked gently. “Will that help you?”

She looked up at him, her eyes softening. “My God. It’s really you, isn’t it?” she said, coming around the chaise lounge to stand in front of him.

“In the flesh.”

“Why aren’t you freaking out?” she asked indignantly.

“I learned to internalize my screaming awhile ago,” he admitted. “And I’m kinda used to all my plans being derailed somehow. Believe me, I’m a total wreck inside. But also… really, really happy.” He took her hand in his.

“Did you mean it?” he asked eagerly. “That you want to be with me?”

“Of course!” Ladybug exclaimed. “Why else would I reveal myself to you? I figured at least one of us could be happy! I just… didn’t… think… it’d be both of us….”

Suddenly, the music that had been playing softly in the background blasted through the room.

“’ _Kiss me_ like you wanna be loved… wanna be loved... wanna be loved….’”

“Plagg,” Adrien growled. “Stop messing with the playlist!”

“You can prove nothing!!” Plagg called back. Adrien stepped up to the player and turned it back down to an acceptable volume. He turned back to Ladybug and shrugged apologetically.

“That was him?” she gaped.

“Probably,” Adrien admitted. “I don’t know how he got ahold of your player when I was still in the suit, but I do know he likes Ed Sheeran, so….”

“Lies and slander!” Plagg called across the room.

“Wait a minute,” Ladybug said, thinking of something. “ _Tikki, spots off!_ ” She de-transformed in another flash of pink light. “Tikki, did you—”

“You can prove nothing!” Tikki sang, already zipping across the room to be with Plagg. Adrien and Marinette watched her go with bemusement.

“Did she?” Adrien asked.

“Probably,” Marinette admitted, blushing. “She likes Ed Sheeran too.”

“Innocent until proven guilty!” Tikki called back.

Adrien and Marinette both gave long-suffering sighs. Then they looked at each other and burst out laughing.

“Oh, man, think of all the awkwardness we could’ve saved ourselves from if we’d just told each other earlier,” Adrien sighed.

“It’s still dangerous,” Marinette said softly. “Even more so… now that we both know.”

“I can’t think of anybody I’d rather take this on with, though,” Adrien said, smiling at her. Marinette blushed.

Adrien reveled in watching her for a moment, just marveling. She was _his_. Truly. Completely. He’d never been so happy in his life… there was only one thing that could make it better….

“Sooo, do I need to put the mask back on to get a kiss out of you?” he quipped, grinning. “I know you like the tail, so—"

Marinette sprang at him with a laugh, her lips finding his while her arms twined around his neck. Adrien wrapped his own arms around her, returning the kiss fervently. He picked her up and twirled around with her, happiness bubbling out of him as they both laughed through their kisses.

“’I want a hippopotamus for Christmas! Only a hippopotamus will do….’”

_“PLAGG!”_

“Sorry! My paw slipped!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those curious, the songs played are:
> 
> Mari's first song: (whichever song is your guilty pleasure, that always got you dancing. You know the one.)  
> "Macho Man" by the Village People  
> "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred  
> "Sexyback" by Justin Timberlake  
> "Why Don't You Love Me (feat. Demi Lovato)" by Hot Chelle Rae  
> "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran  
> "Kiss Me" by Ed Sheeran  
> "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" by Gayla Peevey
> 
> Last note: I know there are a few more prompts in the Marichat May list, but I am waay behind on my V-day gift fic, so I need to put this on hold. I figured this was a good ending for those who didn't want to wait. ;)  
> Thank you all for your support!


End file.
